US DOJ restores Trump's previously removed photo from Epstein files

A photo of Donald Trump removed from Epstein-related files was restored after the Justice Department found no evidence that Epstein's victims were depicted, following a court-mandated review

A photo of US President Donald Trump, previously taken down from a cache of Jeffrey Epstein-related files released by the Department of Justice, was restored on Sunday (local time) after officials confirmed that no Epstein victims were depicted in the image, the department said.

 

The image, which shows a desk with an open drawer containing a photograph of Trump standing with several women, had been flagged by the Southern District of New York for review as part of efforts to protect potential victims.

 

In a post on its official X account, the Justice Department said: “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.” 

 

Why was Trump’s photo removed earlier? 

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said earlier on Sunday that his office had removed the photograph due to concerns about the women visible in the image. Speaking during a Sunday morning appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press with Kristen Welker, Blanche stressed that the move was unrelated to Trump himself. “It has nothing to do with President Trump,” Blanche said, reported Reuters.

 

Blanche said several photographs were taken down after being released on Friday. “There were a number of photographs that were pulled down after being released on Friday,” he said, explaining that a judge in New York had ordered the department to consult any victim or victims’ rights group if concerns were raised about the material being made public, reported Bloomberg. 

 

Why was the release of Epstein files delayed? 

According to Blanche, the Justice Department was unable to meet the December 19 deadline for a complete release of documents because of the sheer volume of material involved, as well as restrictions imposed by a federal judge in Manhattan aimed at preventing the identification of victims.

 

What political backlash followed the partial release? 

The partial release of documents and extensive redactions prompted immediate criticism from some lawmakers. Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee accused the administration of violating the Epstein Files Transparency Act and shielding President Donald Trump.

 

Representative Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, echoed those concerns. Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union, Raskin said the administration was “covering up things that, for whatever reason, Donald Trump doesn’t want to go public,” reported Bloomberg. 

What was released and what was removed from the Epstein files? 

The Justice Department released thousands of documents on Friday related to Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died by suicide in 2019 while in custody.

 

However, on Saturday, up to 16 photographs, including the image showing the desk drawer containing the Trump photo, were removed from the Justice Department’s website.