Schumer wants FBI to assess risks of adversary getting Epstein files
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer Tuesday called on the FBI to conduct a counterintelligence threat assessment on the risks posed by potential foreign access to the Epstein files.
"Whatever may be in the Epstein files is clearly troubling enough that Donald Trump doesn't want to touch this issue with a 10 foot pole so it is natural to ask what happens if America's adversaries use cyberattack or other means to access investigative material into Jeffrey Epstein that are embarrassing or worse for the president and or the people around him," Schumer said in floor remarks.
Schumer said he's asking the FBI to assess whether foreign intelligence agencies could gain access to the Epstein files via "cyberintrusion," and to "identify any vulnerabilities that could be exploited foreign intelligence agencies with access to non-public information in the Epstein files, including being able to gain leverage over Donald Trump, his family or other senior government officials." He's also asking the FBI to show it’s developing strategies to counter any threat.
He pointed to hacks that occurred last week at the departments of Health and Human Services and Homeland Security as cause for concern.
"Hacks like this could very well be an attempt to exploit federal systems to get access to Epstein files and potentially use it to influence those named in the files. Whatever is in the Epstein files is concerning enough that Donald Trump is running scared. If that is, in fact, the case, our adversaries could certainly be interested in trying to use this information to hurt America and Americans. We must ensure that that can never happen and that the FBI must immediately conduct a risk assessment, so we're not caught flat footed if our adversaries have already seen these files," Schumer said.
-ABC News’ Allison Pecorin
