DOJ Defends Removal Of Epstein Files Photos
Just when the Epstein files were expected to deliver full transparency, a fresh twist has reignited public outrage. A day after explosive revelations from the Epstein Files release, reports surfaced claiming that over a dozen files had mysteriously “vanished” from the US Department of Justice website.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche quickly stepped in to defend the takedown, but not before eyebrows were raised across the political spectrum.
Over the weekend, multiple media outlets, including the big media publications, reported that 15 to 16 photos uploaded on Friday were quietly removed. Fueling speculation further, one deleted image, ‘file 468’, was said to show an open drawer containing a printed photograph of President Donald Trump.
The timing could not have been more provocative. In the aftermath of one of the most closely watched document dumps in recent memory, the sudden disappearance of files has left the public asking: coincidence, caution, or cover-up?
Blanche Clarifies Epstein Photo Removals: Protecting Victims, Not Politics
The Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche was swift to put an end to the escalating speculation by asserting that the elimination of certain photos related to Epstein had “nothing to do with Trump.” During his interview with NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, Blanche affirmed that some pictures were indeed removed but, at the same time, he pointed out that the move was motivated by the concerns of victim advocacy groups, not by political reasons. He highlighted that the main goal was to maintain anonymity after the officials became aware that sensitive photographs had been disclosed. Confronting the issue directly, Blanche stated:
“You can see in that photo there are photographs of women. And so we learned after releasing that photograph that there were concerns about those women and the fact that we had put that photo up. So we pulled that photo down. It has nothing to do with President Trump,” Blanche said.
His remarks mark the latest twist in the tightly watched Epstein files saga.
DOJ Responds To Criticism And Addresses Redaction Discrepancies
Responding to the backlash, the DOJ stated:
“Photos and other materials will continue being reviewed and redacted consistent with the law in an abundance of caution as we receive additional information.”
Here is the document now with minimal redactions. Documents and photos will continue to be reviewed consistent with the law and with an abundance of caution for victims and their families.
🔗: https://t.co/zQaKenMLSy https://t.co/r4HiTIplnk
— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) December 21, 2025
A day later, on Sunday, the DOJ released the Grand Jury document again, this time with “minimal redactions.”
When a journalist pointed out that a document uploaded with fewer redactions in January 2024 remained available on the DOJ website, the department distanced itself from responsibility.
“Redactions were applied to those documents when they were filed in the respective court cases back in the day. We reproduced the documents as we had them in our possession,” the DOJ said.
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