Jeffrey Epstein prison video had nearly 3 minutes cut from it: report

Epstein files: Trump lashes out on 'hoax'

Politico Reporter, Cheyanne M. Daniels, joins LiveNOW from FOX to talk about the Epstein investigation. Daniels talks about AG Bondi dodging questions on Epstein from reporters.

Newly uncovered data reveals that nearly three minutes were cut from the surveillance footage outside Jeffrey Epstein’s cell—despite prior claims that the video was "raw" and unedited.

Digital forensics experts discovered the clip released by the Department of Justice was actually made from at least two separate video segments stitched together using Adobe Premiere Pro. That finding raises fresh concerns about transparency, particularly because the video was released by the Trump administration last week to help dispel conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein’s death.

The discrepancy was first reported by WIRED, which worked with metadata specialists to analyze the file. The analysis showed that one of the original source clips used to create the final video was 2 minutes and 53 seconds longer than what the DOJ ultimately released.

What the footage actually shows

The backstory:

The DOJ video captures the hallway outside Epstein’s cell from the night of August 9 into the early morning of August 10, 2019—when Epstein died by suicide in federal custody, according to the FBI.

A digital timestamp at one point jumps from 11:58:58 p.m. to 12:00:00 a.m., a missing minute that Attorney General Pam Bondi has previously said is caused by a nightly system reset. But the new analysis reveals a larger, nearly three-minute gap not previously explained.

Forensic reviewers also found that the file had been saved multiple times by a Windows user over a 23-minute span on May 23. While it’s unclear what exactly was changed, the editing software metadata and time gap contradict prior claims that the video was untouched.

What we know:

These findings directly challenge earlier statements from the Department of Justice, which had insisted the footage was a continuous, unaltered recording.

• The DOJ had labeled the 11-hour video as the full, unedited surveillance footage.
• The file metadata shows it was edited using Adobe Premiere Pro.
• At least one source clip used to create the final video was nearly three minutes longer.
• Epstein was facing federal sex trafficking charges when he died by suicide, according to the FBI.

What we don't know:

Until federal officials address the gap and editing process, speculation around what the missing footage may—or may not—contain is likely to grow.

• It’s still unclear what, if anything, the missing three minutes contained.
• The DOJ has not publicly addressed why the footage was edited or trimmed.
• The metadata does not prove intentional manipulation, but it raises questions about chain of custody and transparency.

What they're saying:

"The video was not conclusive, but the evidence prior to it was showing he committed suicide," Attorney General Pam Bondi said during a Trump administration Cabinet meeting.

"And there was a minute that was off the counter, and what we learned from the Bureau of Prisons is every night they redo that video, so every night the video is reset, and every night should have the same minute missing."

President Trump addressed the renewed scrutiny, saying:

"One year ago our Country was DEAD, now it’s the ‘HOTTEST’ Country anywhere in the World. Let’s keep it that way, and not waste Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

Why you should care:

The Epstein case continues to fuel public distrust in elite institutions and law enforcement. Now, questions about the integrity of the only known footage from the night of his death are resurfacing.

Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell at a New York City event in 2005. The photo resurfaced amid ongoing scrutiny into Epstein’s connections and the circumstances surrounding his death. (Photo by Joe Schildhorn/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

While officials insist there was no foul play and no "client list," the revelation that the video was edited—despite being labeled "raw"—adds to the narrative of secrecy and deepens political fractures, particularly inside the Republican Party.