The US Department of Justice confirmed it removed at least 13 images from the Jeffrey Epstein case files following concerns raised by victim groups, including photos showing President Donald Trump. Some images were later restored amid legislative questions about transparency.
US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche explained on Sunday that at least 13 image files were removed from the database of Jeffrey Epstein, the financier notorious for organizing sex trafficking involving prominent individuals and convicted of child sexual abuse. He emphasized that removing images featuring President Donald Trump was "not politically motivated" but done to protect victims' rights under a court order.
Timeline and public concerns: Thousands of documents were publicly released on Friday (19 Dec) under a law passed by Congress. However, on Saturday, some image files mysteriously disappeared without explanation. Among them was a photo on Epstein's home desk showing Donald Trump, Melania Trump, Epstein, and accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, as well as photos of a massage room with many nude paintings and photos on the walls, some without faces blurred for the women depicted.
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee questioned Attorney General Pam Bondi, asking, "Is there something else being covered up?" They demanded transparency for the American public.
The Department of Justice statement from Todd Blanche called allegations that images were removed because Trump appeared in them "ridiculous," noting many photos of Trump with Epstein had already been publicly released. The real reason was to verify whether victims appeared in the photos. After re-examination showed no victims were present, the photos featuring Trump were reposted without any edits on Sunday morning.
Pressure came from Thomas Massie, a Republican congressman from Kentucky who spearheaded the push to release the files. He expressed dissatisfaction with the Trump administration's stance, stating the Department of Justice was "defying the intent of the law." He said he was drafting a contempt of Congress charge against the Attorney General and vowed not to stop until victims and survivors received justice.
Current delays and censorship: The Department of Justice continues to face heavy criticism for failing to release all files by the Friday deadline. Most released documents remain heavily redacted, especially internal records related to prosecution decisions, leaving society questioning the full truth behind this global scandal.
. BBC