Donald Trump defends 'big boy' Clinton after Epstein photo release

Donald Trump has leapt to the defence of Bill Clinton, after the former president appeared in several photographs with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislane Maxwell during Friday’s Epstein file release.

Around 300,000 documents were released in total last week, just a fraction of the entirety of the files held by the Department of Justice, with more due to follow as part of the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

Comprising of multiple photos, court documents and handwritten notes, the files hope to show an insight into the mind and acquaintances of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Yet, among these files were several photographs of Epstein and high profile figures including Clinton.

While there is no indication of wrongdoing by being found in the files, it hasn’t stopped Donald Trump from jumping to the defence of his predecessor, in an unusual show of courtesy for someone on the other side of the political divide.

Speaking at a press conference Monday, Trump said: ”I don't like the pictures of Bill Clinton being shown, I don't like the pictures of other people being shown, I think it's a terrible thing.”

Bill Clinton and Jeffrey Epstein were photographed together in last week's file release (Department of Justice)

He then went on to address the Democrat’s inclusion, as he added: “I like Bill Clinton, I've always gotten along with Bill Clinton. I've been nice to him, he's been nice to me, we've always gotten along with him, I respect him.”

Trump continued: “Bill Clinton's a big boy, he can handle it, but you probably have pictures of people that innocently met Jeffrey Epstein years ago.”

The kind words for his political adversary were a surprising change of tactic from the President, who used the rest of his speech to condemn the Democratic party and 'a couple of bad Republicans' for their release.

“I know there are a lot of people that are angry about all the pictures of other people. I think it's terrible,” he said.

“This whole thing with Epstein is a way to try to deflect from the tremendous success of the Republican Party. I thought that was finished, a lot of people are very angry that this continues.”

Trump’s defence of Clinton comes after a spokesperson for the former President hit out at the Department of Justice for failing to release all of the required Epstein Files by Friday’s deadline.

Trump himself has previously been photographed alongside Epstein (Dept of Justice)

They had been legally obligated to release all of the files within 30 days of President Trump signing the Epstein Files Transparency Act into law, following it’s approval by Congress last month.

According to Angel Ureña, Clinton’s spokesperson, the failure to do so led them to believe that the administration could be ‘protecting someone or something'.

“The White House hasn't been hiding these files for months only to dump them late on a Friday to protect Bill Clinton," the spokesperson declared in a post.

"What the Department of Justice has released so far, and the manner in which it did so, makes one thing clear: someone or something is being protected," Ureña stated. "We do not know whom, what or why. But we do know this: We need no such protection."