The US Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Sunday that it has restored a photograph featuring President Donald Trump to its latest public release of Jeffrey Epstein-related documents after determining that the image does not depict any Epstein victims.
In a post on X, the DOJ explained that the photo had initially been removed “out of an abundance of caution” after the Southern District of New York flagged it for additional scrutiny, citing concerns about protecting potential victims.
DOJ Says No Epstein Victims Depicted
Following an internal review, officials concluded that no Epstein victims appeared in the photograph. The image was subsequently reposted in its original form, without any changes.
“The Southern District of New York flagged an image of President Trump for potential further action to protect victims,” the DOJ said in its statement.
“Out of an abundance of caution, the Department of Justice temporarily removed the image for further review. 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.”
Deputy Attorney General Addresses Removal
Earlier on Sunday, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the temporary removal of the photograph was unrelated to President Trump. Speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press, Blanche said the decision was driven solely by concerns regarding the women depicted in the image.
According to Blanche, the review process was initiated to ensure that no victims were inadvertently exposed through the document release.
16 Files Disappeared From DOJ’s Epstein Webpage
The clarification followed reports that at least 16 files had vanished from the DOJ’s Epstein-related public webpage less than a day after they were posted on Friday. The removals occurred without public notice or an initial explanation, according to a report by The Associated Press.
Among the missing materials was a file containing a series of photographs displayed on a cabinet and inside a drawer. One image inside the drawer showed Donald Trump pictured alongside Melania Trump, Jeffrey Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell, the AP reported.
Democrats Demand Transparency
The temporary removal of the photograph drew criticism from Democrats on the House Oversight Committee, who questioned the lack of transparency surrounding the changes to the document release.
“This photo, file 468, from the Epstein files that includes Donald Trump has apparently now been removed from the DOJ release,” Democrats on the House Oversight Committee wrote on X.
“AttorneyGeneralPamBondi is this true? What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public.”
Also Read: Epstein Files Controversy: DOJ Removes Photos, Blanche Says ‘Nothing To Do With Trump’
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
