Mystery Surrounds Removal of Epstein Files From Justice Department Website, Including Image Linked to Trump
WASHINGTON — At least 16 files, including photographs from the investigation into Jeffrey E. **Epstein**, the convicted sex offender who died in 2019, disappeared from the Justice Department’s public website over the weekend, prompting accusations of a lack of transparency and renewed scrutiny of the Trump administration’s handling of the long-awaited document release.
The files were part of a larger trove made public on Friday under the **Epstein Files Transparency Act**, a bipartisan law signed by President Trump last month that mandated the disclosure of investigative materials related to Mr. Epstein and his associate, **Ghislaine Maxwell**. Among the vanished items was a photograph of a credenza in Mr. Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse, showing an open drawer containing several pictures, one of which depicted Mr. Trump with Mr. Epstein, the former model Melania Knauss (now the first lady) and Ms. Maxwell at Mar-a-Lago in 2000 — a well-known image from their social circle in the early 2000s.
The Justice Department offered no immediate explanation for the removals, which were first noticed by journalists, online researchers and lawmakers on Saturday. A department spokesman did not respond to requests for comment. The disappearances compounded frustrations over the initial release, which was heavily redacted and fell short of the full disclosure required by the new law.
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee quickly highlighted the missing Trump-related image in a post on X, tagging Attorney General **Pam Bondi** and asking: “Is this true? What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public.” The post included a screenshot of the photograph, which had been downloaded by users before its removal.
Other missing files included images of paintings depicting nude women and additional interior shots of Mr. Epstein’s properties, including the notorious massage room in his New York mansion. Political commentator **Brian Krassenstein**, who said he had archived the full set of files shortly after their release on Friday, shared evidence online that the Trump image — labeled as file EFTA00000468 — was no longer accessible.
The episode has fueled speculation across the political spectrum. While Mr. Trump has long distanced himself from Mr. Epstein, denying any knowledge of his crimes and claiming a fallout years before the financier’s 2008 plea deal, the president’s past social ties to him have remained a point of contention. The removed photograph shows a framed picture from a 2000 event at Mar-a-Lago, where Mr. Trump hosted Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell frequently in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Critics, including some Republicans who co-sponsored the transparency law, accused the Justice Department of selective editing. Representative **Thomas Massie**, Republican of Kentucky, called the overall release a failure to comply with the “spirit and letter” of the legislation. Democrats went further, with Senate Minority Leader **Chuck Schumer** describing the handling as potentially “one of the biggest cover-ups in American history.”
Victims’ advocates expressed dismay, arguing that the redactions and now the removals undermine efforts to hold powerful figures accountable. **Gloria Allred**, a lawyer representing several Epstein survivors, said the process had failed those who suffered abuse, noting inconsistencies in protecting victim identities while prominent names appeared elsewhere.
The Justice Department continued uploading additional files over the weekend, including transcripts, but the initial batch drew sharp rebukes for its limitations. Deputy Attorney General **Todd Blanche**, a former Trump lawyer, had promised no favoritism in redactions, yet searches for “Trump” yielded few results in the released materials.
President Trump has not commented directly on the disappearances. White House officials emphasized the administration’s cooperation with congressional subpoenas and pointed to mentions of former President Bill Clinton in the files as evidence of evenhandedness.
As investigations into Mr. Epstein’s network continue to reverberate, the unexplained removals have intensified calls for congressional hearings. Lawmakers from both parties are pressing Ms. Bondi for answers, warning that any perception of political interference could erode public trust in the justice system.
The saga underscores the enduring sensitivity surrounding Mr. Epstein’s case, which exposed connections between the financier and elites in politics, business and entertainment. With more files expected in coming weeks, the scrutiny on the Justice Department’s process is unlikely to abate soon.
