The Justice Department deleted a batch of files, including a photograph of US President Donald Trump, due to concerns expressed by victims, the deputy attorney general said on Sunday.
Todd Blanche said the photo that included Trump also showed unedited images of women and rejected criticism that the removal was related to the president.
At least 13 files of the thousands that were made public on the Justice Department’s website on Friday had disappeared without explanation on Saturday.
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee questioned the removal of the images. In a social media post, Attorney General Pam Bondi was asked, “What else is being covered up?”
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a post on X on Sunday that Trump’s image was flagged by the Southern District of New York “for possible further action to protect victims.”
They added that they had temporarily removed the image for later review “out of an abundance of caution.”
“After review, it was determined that there is no evidence that any of Epstein’s victims were depicted in the photograph, and it has been republished without any alteration or redaction,” the Justice Department said.
Blanche said the suggestion that the photo was removed because of Trump was “laughable.” “It has nothing to do with President Trump,” he told NBC News.
“There are dozens of photos already published of President Trump seeing him with Mr. Epstein.”
He added: “So the absurdity of us taking down a photo, a single photo, because President Trump was in it, is ridiculous.”
Blanche cited a New York judge who “ordered us to listen to any victims or victims’ rights groups if they have concerns” as reason for removing some of the previously released files.
“There were a number of photographs that were removed after being posted on Friday,” he said.
Trump has consistently denied wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, and Epstein’s victims have not accused him of any crime. There is no suggestion that these images imply any wrongdoing.
US Department of JusticeThe Justice Department has also been criticized for not releasing all the files by a Friday deadline, as required by law.
Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican who led the effort to release the files, said he was frustrated with the Trump administration’s response and that his goal is to get justice for the victims.
He said he is drafting inherent contempt charges for Attorney General Pam Bondi.
“They are flouting the spirit and the letter of the law,” he told CBS News on Sunday. “The stance they have taken is very worrying. I will not be satisfied until the survivors are satisfied.”
The image that was included in the deleted files showed a credenza in Epstein’s home with an open drawer filled with other photos, one of which showed the president with Trump, Epstein, first lady Melania Trump and Epstein’s convicted associate Ghislane Maxwell. Framed photographs can also be seen above the credenza desk.
That image has since been restored early Sunday and is available through a link to the website. The other files had not been restored to the site as of Sunday afternoon.
Ten of the missing files include images that appear to show the same room: a small massage room with clouds painted on the ceiling and patterned brown wallpaper dotted with multiple nude photographs. Some look like photographs, others are works of art.
Most of the women photographed on the wall have had their faces erased. However, one face is redacted in one file but is clearly visible in three of the others. Another face remains unedited in all files, while a painted image of the same person is visible.
On Saturday, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee questioned the deletion of the records.
They posted Trump’s missing photo on social media and asked Attorney General Pam Bondi if it was true that the image had been deleted.
“What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public,” the committee wrote.
The deletion of the files comes at a time of growing suspicion surrounding the US government and the so-called Epstein files.
The documents released Friday came to light as a result of a congressional law that forced the Justice Department to release them.
The Justice Department said it would comply with Congress’s request to release documents, with some stipulations.
He redacted personally identifiable information about Epstein’s victims, materials depicting child sexual abuse, materials depicting physical abuse, any records that would “jeopardize an active federal investigation” or any classified documents that must remain secret to protect “national defense or foreign policy.”
But many of the documents that were released were heavily redacted.
There was limited new information about Epstein’s crimes and things like internal Justice Department memos about charging decisions were not included in the files that were released.
Additional reporting by Alison Benjamin and Benedict Garman.
