WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department asked a federal court on Friday to unseal grand jury transcripts in Jeffrey Epstein’s case amid a firestorm over the Trump administration’s handling of records related to the wealthy financier.

The Justice Department formally requested Friday the unsealing of grand jury records tied to federal investigations into Jeffrey Epstein, according to a court filing.President Donald Trump announced the previous day that he ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the release of additional Epstein material following pushback from conservatives and others for more transparency in the case.

The records are at the center of President Trump’s effort to manage fallout from the Epstein case. But unsealing them is complex and requires a judge to sign off.