A federal judge ruled Thursday that the Trump administration's Justice Department must either release unredacted versions of specific Epstein Files documents or explain in court why they cannot be released — with a July 2nd deadline. The ruling came in a lawsuit brought by independent journalist Katie Phang against DOJ official Todd Blanche, enforcing the Epstein Files Transparency Act that Congress passed in 2025. This is a major setback for the Trump DOJ's effort to keep Epstein materials redacted; the preliminary injunction means the judge found Phang's legal case likely to succeed on the merits. The next flashpoint is whether the DOJ will comply, appeal, or claim exemptions under law.