President Donald Trump had directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to release files related to Jeffrey Epstein as pressure continues to mount on the administration over the Epstein case.

A U.S. judge on Wednesday denied a U.S. Justice Department bid to unseal grand jury transcripts related to the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in South Florida, the first ruling in a series of attempts by President Donald Trump's administration to release more information on the case.

The Justice department petitioned the court last week to release those typically closely held records of the testimony of witnesses who appeared before the grand jury.