Democrats in the United States have launched a sharp accusation against the country's Justice Department. They claim a specific photograph featuring former President Donald Trump was removed from the newly released trove of documents related to the late financier and convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.
Allegations of a Missing File
The controversy centres around an image labelled as file 468. Democrats on the powerful House Oversight Committee took to social media platform X to state their case. They posted that this particular photo, which includes Donald Trump, "has apparently now been removed from the DOJ release." The committee directly questioned US Attorney General Merrick Garland, asking if the claim was true and demanding to know what else might be hidden from public view.
"What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public," the committee's post emphasized. This demand for answers highlights growing tensions over the completeness of the document release related to the high-profile Epstein case.
Details of the Controversial Photograph
According to reports describing the file before its alleged removal, it showed a desk drawer filled with photo albums and papers. Among them was a picture of a man resembling Donald Trump. He was dressed in a white shirt and was standing with a group of women, at least one of whom was in a bikini. Behind this image was another, partially hidden photo said to show Trump, his wife Melania Trump, and Epstein's close associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
This photograph is believed to have been taken at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in February 2000, a period before he and Melania were married. It is crucial to note that the inclusion of any individual in these files does not automatically imply wrongdoing or a criminal association. Many photos were released without clear dates or context.
Official Responses and Ongoing Fallout
In response to the allegations, a spokesperson for the Trump camp, Abigail Jackson, defended the record. She told The Independent that "the Trump Administration is the most transparent in history." Jackson argued that by releasing thousands of pages, cooperating with subpoenas, and calling for investigations into Epstein's connections, the administration had done more for victims than Democrats.
Meanwhile, the Justice Department has faced criticism beyond the missing photo. Democrats have also accused the DOJ of missing the legal deadline for release, which was 30 days after the president's signature, and of heavily redacting materials. The DOJ defended its actions, stating redactions were necessary to protect victim privacy and that more documents would come in the following weeks. The release was also marred by technical issues, with the DOJ website crashing repeatedly due to high user traffic.
The Epstein files contain a wide array of materials, including legal documents and photos, featuring the disgraced financier with numerous high-profile figures like former President Bill Clinton and singer Michael Jackson. Donald Trump has consistently stated he cut ties with Epstein in the early 2000s and had no involvement in his crimes, describing him merely as a social acquaintance.
