On Friday President Trump announced that all government documents related to American aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart will be declassified, sparking criticism from commentators and Democratic politicians on social media that a similar move hasn’t been taken with the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Newsweek contacted the White House for comment on Saturday via email outside of regular office hours.
Why It Matters
President Trump said he would release files held by the government related to convicted sex offender Epstein ahead of the 2024 presidential election. However he has since backtracked, describing the case as “the Democrat Epstein Hoax,” sparking anger from some of his supporters.
Trump is likely to face continued pressure to release all Epstein files held by the government, though the Department of Justice has insisted that there is no “client list” of those implicated in the disgraced financier’s activities as had been widely alleged.
What To Know
In a post on his Truth Social website on Friday Trump said he was “ordering my Administration to declassify and release all Government Records related to Amelia Earhart, her final trip, and everything else about her.”
The president said he has been “asked by many people” to take such a step and noted Earhart disappeared in 1937 over the Pacific Ocean while trying to become the first person to circumnavigate the Earth.
However on X a number of prominent figures questioned why Trump had decided to release the Earhart files rather than the Epstein files.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has sparred repeatedly with Trump, shared a screenshot of the president’s post adding: “AMERICA: Release the Epstein Files! TRUMP: Did you say Amelia Earhart?”
Ron Filipkowski, editor of self-styled “pro-democracy” news outlet Meidas Touch, posted: “The whole country wanted Jeffrey Epstein files, and Trump gives us Amelia Earhart.”
Entrepreneur Ed Krassenstein wrote: “Trump just called to release the Amelia Earhart files on Truth Social. Why doesn’t he make a post like this calling for the release of all the Epstein files?”
Earhart was a pioneering American aviator who became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 1932, earning worldwide fame and multiple aviation records. She was a tireless advocate for women in aviation, helping found The Ninety-Nines, an organization for female pilots.
Her career and was cut short in 1937 when she disappeared during an attempt to circumnavigate the globe creating a mystery that endures to this day.
What People Are Saying
In his Truth Social post Trump wrote: “I have been asked by many people about the life and times of Amelia Earhart, such an interesting story, and would I consider declassifying and releasing everything about her, in particular, her last, fatal flight! She was an Aviation Pioneer, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, and achieved many other Aviation ‘firsts.’ She disappeared in the South Pacific while trying to become the first woman to fly around the World.
“Amelia made it almost three quarters around the World before she suddenly, and without notice, vanished, never to be seen again. Her disappearance, almost 90 years ago, has captivated millions. I am ordering my Administration to declassify and release all Government Records related to Amelia Earhart, her final trip, and everything else about her. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
What Happens Next
The Trump administration is likely to face additional pressure from its own base to declassify all government files related to the Epstein case.
