On Friday, 19 Dec 2025 GMT+7, the U.S. Department of Justice released the first batch of documents related to the case of Jeffrey Epstein, a former financier convicted in a sex trafficking case.
The documents, comprising photos, videos, and investigative records, were eagerly awaited after Congress passed a law requiring the full data files to be disclosed by that Friday.
However, some Democrats and Republicans accused the Department of Justice of violating legal obligations after it stated it could not release all documents by the deadline. Furthermore, much of the thousands of pages was heavily redacted.
The initial documents include names of several notable figures, including former U.S. President Bill Clinton, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (Prince Andrew), and musicians Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson.
However, appearing by name or photo in these documents does not indicate wrongdoing, and many named have denied any involvement in Epstein's crimes.
Some of the released photos include former President Bill Clinton, with one showing him swimming in a pool and another lying on his back with hands clasped behind his head in what appears to be a hot tub.
Clinton was photographed with Epstein multiple times during the 1990s and early 2000s, before Epstein’s first arrest. Clinton has never been accused by Epstein’s victims and has consistently denied any knowledge of Epstein’s sexual misconduct.
After the new photos were released, Clinton’s spokesperson said these were decades-old images. “They can release as many old, grainy photos over 20 years old as they want, but this is not about Bill Clinton—it never was and never will be,” Angel Ureña wrote on social media.
“There are two groups here: those who had no knowledge and cut ties with Epstein before his crimes surfaced, and those who continued associations afterward,” Ureña said. “We are in the first group, and delays caused by the second cannot change that fact.”
“Everyone, especially the MAGA group (Trump supporters), wants answers—not scapegoats.”
The documents also mention Donald Trump, alleging Epstein introduced a 14-year-old girl to Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
According to a 2020 lawsuit filed against Epstein’s estate and Ghislaine Maxwell, during the alleged meeting in the 1990s, Epstein elbowed Trump and jokingly asked about the girl, saying, “Is she good?” Trump did not respond but smiled and nodded.
The documents say “they both chuckled quietly,” and the girl felt uncomfortable, though “at that time, she was too young to understand why.” The victim alleged she was lured and abused by Epstein for years. However, she did not file any lawsuit against Trump.
White House spokeswoman Abbie Jackson commented on the documents, saying the Trump administration was the most transparent in history. “The release of thousands of pages, cooperation with congressional oversight subpoenas, and President Trump’s call for further investigations into Epstein’s Democratic friends show the Trump administration did more for victims than Democrats ever did.”
The incident involving Trump is one of the few times a president was mentioned in the thousands of pages released Friday. Although he appears in several photos, related information about him is minimal.
Trump War Room, the official X account for the president’s political operations, posted photos of Clinton following the document release. Trump’s media secretary also reposted Clinton’s photos with the caption “Oh my!”
However, many more pages remain unreleased. Todd Blanche, Deputy Attorney General, said hundreds of thousands of pages are still under review and not public.
Previously, the U.S. president said he had been friends with Epstein for many years but fell out around 2004, years before Epstein’s first arrest. Trump has always denied any illegal conduct related to Epstein.
One photo in the released files shows Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (former Prince Andrew) lying across the laps of five women, whose faces are blacked out.
The photo also includes Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s convicted co-conspirator, standing behind them.
Prince Andrew has faced intense scrutiny for years regarding his past friendship with Epstein, which does not appear in this photo. Andrew has denied any illegal conduct linked to Epstein and said he never saw, witnessed, or suspected any behavior that led to Epstein’s arrest and conviction.
The newly released documents contain one of the most extensive lists of famous individuals ever seen in Epstein files, as the financier was known to have wide connections across entertainment, politics, and business.
Some photos released by the Department of Justice show Epstein with well-known stars like Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, and Diana Ross.
However, it is unclear where, when, or in what context these photos were taken, or whether Epstein was close to all these individuals or merely attended events where they appeared. Some previously released photos from Epstein’s properties were not taken by him or were from events he did not attend.
Also included are several photos featuring actor Chris Tucker, with one showing him posing beside Bill Clinton at a dining table, and another showing him at an airport with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s convicted co-conspirator.
BBC has contacted Jagger, Tucker, and Ross for comment. Clinton previously denied any knowledge of Epstein’s sexual offenses, and his spokesperson said on Friday that the photos are decades old.
One photo shows Ghislaine Maxwell posing alone in front of 10 Downing Street, the British Prime Minister’s residence. No context or date is provided for her presence there.
It is also unclear who was Prime Minister at the time or in what capacity Maxwell visited Downing Street.
Maria Farmer, an artist who worked for Epstein and was among the first to report him, appears in the files. She told the FBI in a 1996 report that Epstein stole personal photos she took of her 12- and 16-year-old sisters.
Farmer said in her complaint that she believed Epstein sold the photos to interested buyers and threatened to burn down her house if she told anyone.
Although Farmer’s name is redacted in the files, she confirmed the record described her story. The report states Epstein asked her to photograph a young girl at his pool and threatened to burn her house down if she disclosed the photos.
Farmer said she felt vindicated after waiting nearly 30 years. “I feel like my dignity has been restored.”
Among the documents released Friday, many were redacted, including police testimonies, investigative reports, and photos.
CBS News reported that over 550 pages were fully redacted, including about 100 pages related to grand jury investigations that were blacked out entirely.
Officials are legally permitted to redact information to protect victims’ identities or ongoing criminal investigations but are required to explain the reasons for redactions, which have not yet been provided.
The Department of Justice said the thousands of pages released Friday are only a portion of what is to come. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said hundreds of thousands of pages were released Friday, with hundreds of thousands more expected in the coming weeks.
Blanche told Fox & Friends that the department is rigorously reviewing each page to ensure that “all victims—their names, identities, and stories—are fully protected where necessary.” He argued that this process takes time.
However, the unclear schedule for further document releases has frustrated members of Congress from both parties.
Democratic Representative Ro Khanna threatened action against Justice Department officials, including possible impeachment or lawsuits over the delays. “The Department of Justice’s dumping of hundreds of thousands of pages constitutes a failure to comply with the law,” Khanna said on social media, adding in a video that he and Representative Massie are considering all possible options.
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Source:bbc