A photo of President Donald Trump’s face that was included in the release of investigative files and more than a dozen other files on notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein appears to have been removed from the Department of Justice’s website.
The photo, released Friday along with a number of other files, shows a desk filled with framed and unframed photos and other items. At least two of these photos clearly show President Trump’s face.
On Saturday, lawmakers quickly noticed the image was missing from the Justice Department’s website.
“This photo of File 468 of the Epstein file, which includes Donald Trump, has apparently been removed from the Department of Justice public release,” Democrats on the House Oversight Committee said in a post on X. “@AGPamBondi, is this true? What else is being hidden? We need transparency from the American people.”
The Associated Press reported Saturday that at least 16 files missing from the site included photos of President Trump.
Friday’s release included only some of the vast number of documents required to be disclosed under deadlines set by the Epstein File Transparency Act, which requires the Justice Department to release all files. The Justice Department continued to partially release more files related to the investigation early Saturday.
California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna said Friday that Congress is considering holding impeachment hearings for Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche if the released documents do not comply with the law.
“What we need is a clear timeline for when the remaining documents will be released and an explanation as to why they didn’t release everything today,” Khanna said at a press conference after the files were released.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who co-sponsored a House bill with Mr. Khanna that would have ordered the Justice Department to release its files, on Saturday accused the Justice Department of blatantly ignoring the law.
“Compare the language of the Epstein File Transparency Act, directing the Justice Department to provide internal communications about the decision, and the Justice Department’s letter to Congress asserting privilege to omit material related to the decision because it is not specified by law,” Massey wrote in a post on X.
From left, Donald Trump and his girlfriend (and future wife), former model Melania Knauss, investor (and future convicted sex offender) Jeffrey Epstein, and British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell pose together at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, on February 12, 2000.
Davidoff Studio Photos | Archive Photos | Getty Images
Trump is a former friend of Epstein’s, but the president has not been accused of wrongdoing. He also denies knowledge of Epstein’s sexual abuse of underage girls and women.
Trump’s name and image appeared significantly less frequently in the files released Friday. But in recent days, Trump has appeared in a number of images released by House Democrats that were obtained directly from Epstein’s estate.
In a post to X late Friday, the Justice Department said it “does not redact the names of any politicians,” citing comments from Blanche who reiterated that.
“The only redactions applied to the document are those required by law and are fully redacted,” Blanche said. “In accordance with the statute and applicable law, we do not redact the names of individuals or politicians unless they are victims.”
Blanche, who previously served as Trump’s criminal defense attorney, echoed similar sentiments in an interview with ABC News on Friday, saying there was no “effort” to redact any references to the president in the released files.
The White House referred questions about the missing photos to the Department of Justice.
CNBC has reached out to the Department of Justice and Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, for comment.
Former President Bill Clinton was seen in several photos released Friday, but it is unclear when and where they were taken. One of the photos showed Mr. Clinton sitting in a chair next to a young woman sitting on the arm of the chair.
The former president has also not been accused of wrongdoing.
Clinton’s press secretary, Angel Urena, said Friday: “The White House hasn’t hidden these files for months, only to throw them away late Friday to protect Bill Clinton. This is to protect them from what happens next, or what they want to hide forever. So they can release as many grainy photos as they want from over 20 years ago, but this is not about Bill Clinton.”
“There are two types of people here. The first group knew nothing and cut Epstein down before his crimes were exposed,” Urena added. “The second group continued their relationship with him after that. We are the first group. No matter how stuck the second group of people are, the situation will not change. Everyone, especially MAGA, is looking for answers, not scapegoats.”
— CNBC’s Dan Mangan contributed to this report.
