Epstein files row: Justice Department restores Trump photo after brief removal triggers backlash

 

A short-lived removal of images from the US Justice Department’s public release of files linked to Jeffrey Epstein has set off political questions, after officials acknowledged that a photograph containing an image of President Donald Trump was taken down and restored within a day.

The Justice Department confirmed on Sunday that the image was re-uploaded after officials concluded it did not risk identifying or exposing victims of the late convicted sex offender. The photograph, which showed a desk with an open drawer holding a picture of Trump alongside several women, was temporarily removed on Saturday during what officials described as a precautionary review.

Federal prosecutors in New York flagged the image after concerns were raised that it could inadvertently reveal Epstein’s victims. According to the department, the step followed representations made by alleged victims and their legal counsel, prompting authorities to err on the side of caution while the material was assessed.

No victims revealed

“After the review, it was determined there is no evidence that any Epstein victims are depicted in the photograph, and it has been reposted without any alteration or redaction,” the Justice Department said in a post on X on Sunday.

Deputy US Attorney General Todd Blanche rejected suggestions that the decision had anything to do with the president. Appearing on NBC News’ Meet the Press, Blanche said the review focused solely on the women visible in the image and not on Trump himself.

“It has nothing to do with President Trump,” Blanche said, explaining that officials did not have complete information at the time and opted to remove the image temporarily while checks were conducted.

The episode, however, drew swift criticism from Democrats, who accused the department of attempting to shield the president, who had previously been associated with Epstein. The brief removal also triggered broader questions across party lines about transparency in the document release process.

Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, speaking to ABC News on Sunday, called for a “full and complete investigation” into why the disclosures failed to meet what he described as legal and public expectations.

Reports by The New York Times, NPR and the Associated Press said as many as 16 photographs were taken down from the Justice Department’s website on Saturday, though Reuters said it could not independently confirm the figure. Blanche later said all removals were carried out following requests from victim advocacy groups and that images would be restored once individual reviews were completed.

The BIG release

The controversy comes just days after the Justice Department made public thousands of pages of records on Friday related to Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while in federal custody awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The release included photographs, interview transcripts, call logs and court filings.

At the same time, the disclosure attracted criticism, including from some Republicans, over heavy redactions and the absence of several long-awaited documents, such as FBI interviews with survivors and internal Justice Department memoranda outlining charging decisions.

Trump has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein and has denied having any knowledge of his crimes.

More to come

Alongside restoring the photograph, the Justice Department acknowledged that a large volume of Epstein-related material remains unpublished. A departmental fact sheet said “hundreds of thousands of pages” are still under review, including images, court records and other sensitive documents.

Blanche said the department was unable to meet the disclosure deadline set by Congress without risking harm to survivors. More than 200 lawyers are currently involved in the review, working alongside prosecutors from the Southern District of New York.

“The reason why we are still reviewing documents and still continuing our process is simply to protect victims,” Blanche said, noting that many files contain personal and identifying information that requires case-by-case examination.

Officials stated that while the pace of disclosure has been slowed by the scale and sensitivity of the material, the remaining records will be released once the reviews are completed.