WASHINGTON, DEC 21 — At least 16 files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein disappeared from the U.S. Justice Department’s public website within a day of being posted, including an image that showed a photograph of former President Donald Trump alongside Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
The files, available on Friday and no longer accessible by Saturday, were removed without public notice or explanation, prompting speculation online and criticism from Democratic lawmakers demanding transparency.
The missing materials included images of artwork depicting nude women and a photograph showing several pictures arranged on a credenza and inside drawers. One drawer contained a photograph of Trump standing with Epstein, Melania Trump and Maxwell.
The Justice Department did not say why the files were taken down or whether the removal was intentional. A department spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee pointed to the missing image in a post on X, writing, “What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public.”
The unexplained disappearance added to skepticism surrounding the Justice Department’s broader release of tens of thousands of pages of Epstein-related records, which critics say offered little new insight into his crimes or the decisions that allowed him to avoid serious federal charges for years.
Neither Trump nor former President Bill Clinton — both of whom had social associations with Epstein in the past — has been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein. Both have publicly disavowed their past ties.
Despite a congressional deadline requiring full disclosure by Friday, the Justice Department said it would continue releasing records on a rolling basis, citing the time required to redact survivors’ names and identifying details.
