“Late Show” host Stephen Colbert doesn’t think the public will see much from the files of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, even after President Donald Trump signed a bill into law ordering their release.
“This is such a difficult moment for Trump,” Colbert said.

Trump, who was once close friends with Epstein, spent much of the year trying to block the release of the files.
Colbert said the president was “clearly furious” over the bill, even signing it off-camera.
“Trump is avoiding cameras? That’s like the Pillsbury Doughboy avoiding nudity,” Colbert cracked.
The Justice Department now has 30 days to release the files.
“So soon, we’re gonna see every document in the Epstein files,” Colbert said. “And if you believe that, Donald Trump has an East Wing he’d like to sell you.”
The bill says the Justice Department can withhold or redact anything involving an active investigation.
“Well, there’s a coinky-dink,” Colbert said. “Cuz just last week, Trump demanded the Justice Department open an investigation into Democrats who are mentioned in Epstein’s emails. Attorney General Pam Bondi agreed to this demand less than four hours later.”
He said that’s “strange” since Bondi said in July that there was no more information to release and the case appeared closed.

Colbert rolled footage of Bondi and other officials this week, looking very uncomfortable as they tried to explain why it’s suddenly an active case again.
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“You can see just how rattled they are on camera,” Colbert said.
Check it out in the Thursday night “Late Show” monologue:
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