The Trump administration's staggered release of Epstein files after missing the legal deadline isn't just a bureaucratic failure — it's a deliberate erosion of the transparency promised to the American people. By stretching disclosure over weeks with heavy redactions and claiming victim protection while shielding powerful figures, the DOJ has guaranteed that no document drop will ever be accepted as complete. The administration's control of the narrative, from centralizing files at Main Justice to launching counter-investigations, reveals a calculated effort to manage political damage rather than deliver the full truth that survivors and the public deserve.