BREAKING: “THAT’S A PROMISE!” Judge drops the HAMMER on Trump DOJ in Katie Phang Epstein hearing – warns he could hold them in CONTEMPT! The federal judge overseeing journalist Katie Phang's lawsuit for the release of Epstein files had a stunning warning for Trump's Justice Department today: He has held government lawyers in contempt before, and he's prepared to do it again to enforce his orders. “That isn't a threat,” Senior U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan said. “That's a promise.” Sullivan delivered the extraordinary warning during a blistering hearing over whether the Justice Department is complying with his previous order requiring the government to release Epstein-related records or justify withholding them. Phang's legal team has asked Sullivan to hold the government in contempt if the stonewalling continues. “I'm here to ensure compliance with the law that Congress passed and the President enacted,” Sullivan declared. Again and again, Sullivan pressed senior DOJ attorney Andrew Block for answers about when withheld material would be released and when the government would publicly explain its reasons for withholding other records. Block wouldn't even condescend to provide a broad timetable. “The public demands a time-frame – not just me,” Sullivan shot back. One particularly explosive dispute involves handwritten FBI interview notes from a woman who accused Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump of abusing her when she was a minor. The allegations have not been corroborated. DOJ said summaries of some interviews have already been released and argued that the handwritten notes are duplicative and difficult to redact, which did not impress Sullivan. Separately, Sullivan has demanded documentation supporting DOJ's claims that other withheld material contains protected victim information. Last week, he ruled that the government's assertions “do not comply with the Court's Order.” When Block seemed uncertain what more Sullivan wanted to substantiate those claims, the judge made it very simple. “I'm not exactly sure what your honor is looking for,” Block said. “I'm just looking for corroboration,” Sullivan replied. “I'm just looking for evidence.” Phang attorney Emily Gilman said her side fully supports protecting “genuine victim information” but believes the government simply doesn't want to produce the records. “The public has a right to know what the hell is going on in this case,” Sullivan said. “The victims have a right to know.” Then Block suggested Sullivan could issue an order spelling out exactly what the DOJ must do. “I've done that,” Sullivan snapped. “Do you want me to issue another order and say, ‘I really mean it this time’?” Sullivan then turned to Phang's contempt request. He noted that he has previously held Justice Department attorneys in civil contempt and said he has “no desire to go down that road again.” But he put the DOJ “on notice,” adding “I think it's important to know how far a federal judge has gone to enforce judicial orders." Phang already won an order requiring the government to release records or justify withholding them. Now Sullivan is demanding evidence for some of the DOJ's excuses, a timetable for compliance and answers about why his existing order hasn't been enough. And if the Justice Department still doesn't get the message, Sullivan left very little ambiguity about what could come next.