Kamala Harris is addressing a question that has lingered for years: why the Biden administration did not push to release the so-called Epstein files while in office.
During a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Harris explained that the decision was less about politics and more of a firm belief about how government should function.
The topic resurfaced as renewed public interest and political debate swirled around the handling of records connected to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Critics have long questioned whether the administration of Joe Biden avoided releasing documents for political convenience.
Kamala Harris was asked if she thought the Epstein files would be released in full and why the Biden administration didn’t do it when he was in office
— Glock Topickz (@Glock_Topickz) December 21, 2025
🎥: @JimmyKimmelLive pic.twitter.com/n3e4b40gXv
Harris pushed back on that idea, saying the administration deliberately maintained distance from the Department of Justice, even when doing so may have carried political costs.
“To give you an answer that will not satisfy your curiosity, I will tell you,” Harris said during the interview. “We, perhaps to our damage, but we strongly and rightly believe that there should be an absolute separation between what we wanted as an administration and what the Department of Justice did.”
According to Harris, that separation was foundational to how the administration viewed its responsibilities.
Harris emphasized that the Justice Department was expected to operate independently, free from political pressure or personal motivations.
“We absolutely adhere to that,” she said, adding that DOJ decisions should never be influenced by “political, or personal, vendetta or concern.” In her view, maintaining that boundary was not only appropriate but necessary to protect the integrity of the legal system.
The explanation comes as scrutiny over Epstein-related documents continues across administrations, with questions now extending into how different presidents and attorneys general have approached transparency.
