Topics: Jeffrey Epstein, Donald Trump, Ghislaine Maxwell, News, US News, Politics
More than a dozen newly-released Epstein files, including one of Trump, mysteriously vanished from the DOJ's website.
On Friday (December 19), the Department of Justice released a trove of around 300,000 files related to the late convicted pedophile, Jeffrey Epstein, ahead of federal law demanding they be made public as per the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
The documents came in batches, some of which have been going viral for including some very rich and famous names and faces.
It is important to note the release of the images and identities of some of those snapped with the sex trafficker do not imply or suggest any wrongdoing. Many of the people photographed have denied any knowledge of the financier's crimes or of any wrongdoing.
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Still, the batches certainly piqued interest across the world, including an image of President Donald Trump.
However, within a day later, the image of Trump, alongside 16 other pics, appeared to vanish from the DOJ site without any explanation.
The image in question was taken in one of Epstein's homes of a collection of frames images in a cabinet.
The open drawer appears filled with images of famous people, including Trump and Epstein.
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee questioned why they had been taken down and asked Attorney General Pam Bondi in a post on social media: "What else is being covered up?"
The DOJ clarified in a post on X that the image had been flagged by the Southern District of New York 'for potential further action to protect victims', adding it was a move made 'out of an abundance of caution'.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche also NBC that the files were taken down due to shielding victims and it was 'laughable' to suggest it had been removed due to Trump's request.
"There are dozens of photos of President Trump already released to the public seeing him with Mr Epstein," he said.
"So the absurdity of us pulling down a photo, a single photo, because President Trump was in it, is laughable."
The deputy attorney general explained: "There were a number of photographs that were pulled down after being released on Friday.
"That's because a judge in New York has ordered us to listen to any victim or victim rights group, if they have any concerns about the material that we're putting up."
He continued: "So when we hear concerns — whether it's photographs of women that we do not believe are victims or we didn't have information to show that they were victims, but we learned that there are concerns, of course — we're taking that photograph down, and we're going to address it.
"If we need to redact faces or other information, we will, and then we'll put it back up. So we are, in every way, shape and form, complying with the statute," Blanche added before going to say Trump has 'nothing' to hide in connection with the files.
Now, Blanche has confirmed the image of Trump has been reinstated after a review.
The POTUS has vehemently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein. There is also no suggestion that the pictures imply any wrongdoing.
Amongst the hefty files include images of former President Bill Clinton, including one in which he was swimming with Epstein’s former-girlfriend and associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, as well as an unusual portrait painting in which he was wearing a dress.
The late singer Michael Jackson as well as Diana Ross, Mick Jagger, Chris Tucker, the former Prince Andrew, and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, have also cropped up in several images released by the DOJ.
It remains unclear when or where these photos were taken, or the context surrounding them. It is also unknown whether the extent of association Epstein had with certain figures or whether he had attended any of these events.
