The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) temporarily removed and subsequently reinstated an image featuring former President Donald Trump from its website, which contains documents related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The removal occurred on Sunday following initial concerns, with the image restored later the same day after a review.
Initial Removal and Reinstatement
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that several items, including the photo containing Mr. Trump, were removed from the DOJ website due to concerns expressed by victims. Mr. Blanche clarified that the image featuring Mr. Trump also showed unredacted images of women. At least 13 files from the thousands released on Friday, concerning Jeffrey Epstein, were temporarily unavailable on Saturday.
The image featuring Mr. Trump was later reinstated. The DOJ stated on X (formerly Twitter) that the photo had been flagged by the Southern District of New York "for potential further action to protect victims" and was removed temporarily "out of an abundance of caution" for further review. Following this review, the DOJ determined there was "no evidence that any Epstein victims are depicted in the photograph" and reposted it without alterations or redactions. This particular image was restored by early Sunday, while other removed files remained unavailable as of Sunday evening.
Official Statements and Congressional Scrutiny
Deputy Attorney General Blanche dismissed suggestions that the photo's removal was linked to former President Trump, stating such claims were "laughable." He noted that "dozens of photos of President Trump already released to the public" show him with Mr. Epstein. Blanche attributed the temporary removal of some files to a New York judge's order mandating that the DOJ consider concerns from victims or victims' rights groups.
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee questioned the removal of the images. In a social media post, they inquired with Attorney General Pam Bondi about the reasons for the removal. The committee also reposted the missing photo of Trump on social media.
Former President Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, and no crimes have been attributed to him by Epstein's victims. The pictures themselves do not imply any wrongdoing.
Context of File Release and Content
The DOJ faced scrutiny for not releasing all Epstein-related files by the legally mandated Friday deadline. These documents, which include photos, videos, and investigative materials, were highly anticipated after Congress passed a law requiring their full release.
Congressman Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky who advocated for the files' release, expressed dissatisfaction with the administration's compliance. He indicated he was drafting inherent contempt charges for Attorney General Pam Bondi, stating, "They are flouting the spirit and the letter of the law." He added, "I won't be satisfied until the survivors are satisfied."
The removed image depicted a credenza desk in Epstein's residence with an open drawer containing additional photos, one of which showed Mr. Trump with Epstein, former First Lady Melania Trump, and Epstein's convicted associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Framed photos were also visible on the desk.
Ten of the files that were unavailable reportedly included images of the same room, described as a small massage parlor with a cloud-painted ceiling and brown patterned wallpaper featuring multiple nudes. While many faces in these images were redacted, one face was unredacted in some files despite being redacted in others. Another face remained unredacted across all files, alongside a painted image of the same individual.
The documents released on Friday were mandated by an act of Congress. The DOJ agreed to comply with the congressional request but stipulated certain redactions, including personally identifiable information of victims, materials depicting child sexual abuse, physical abuse, information that could jeopardize active federal investigations, or classified documents affecting national defense or foreign policy. Many of the released documents contained heavy redactions, and some anticipated information, such as internal DOJ memos on charging decisions, was not included.