NEW YORK: At least 16 files tied to the Justice Department’s release of records on Jeffrey Epstein vanished from a public DOJ webpage within a day of being posted, without explanation or notice to the public. Among the missing materials was an image showing former President Donald Trump alongside Epstein, Melania Trump, and Epstein’s longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
The files were accessible on Friday but were no longer available by Saturday. They included photographs of artwork depicting nude women and an image showing photographs displayed along a credenza and inside drawers. One drawer image contained the now-missing photo featuring Trump and Epstein.
The Justice Department declined to explain why the files were removed. In a post on X, it said “photos and other materials will continue being reviewed and redacted consistent with the law in an abundance of caution as we receive additional information.”
The unexplained disappearance fueled online speculation and renewed scrutiny of the long-shadowed Epstein case, intensifying demands for transparency. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee highlighted the missing Trump-related image, posting: “What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public.”
Limited Revelations, Lingering Gaps
The episode added to concerns surrounding the DOJ’s highly anticipated document release, which spans tens of thousands of pages but offers limited new insight into Epstein’s crimes or the prosecutorial decisions that allowed him to evade serious federal charges for years.
Notably absent are FBI interviews with survivors and internal Justice Department memos assessing charging decisions records that could illuminate how investigators viewed the case and why Epstein was permitted in 2008 to plead guilty to a comparatively minor state-level prostitution charge.
The disclosures, mandated under a recent law passed by Congress, also scarcely reference several powerful figures long linked to Epstein, including Britain’s former Prince Andrew. The omissions have reignited questions about who was scrutinized, who was not, and whether the release meaningfully advances public accountability.
Among the few new details are insight into the DOJ’s decision to abandon a federal investigation in the 2000s and a previously unseen 1996 complaint accusing Epstein of stealing photographs of children.
Images Without Context
The bulk of the released material consists of photographs of Epstein’s properties in New York City and the U.S. Virgin Islands, along with images of celebrities and politicians. There are previously unseen photos of former President Bill Clinton and far fewer of Trump. Both men were once associated with Epstein but later disavowed those relationships. Neither has been accused of wrongdoing related to Epstein, and there is no indication the photos were used in criminal cases.
Despite a congressional deadline to release all records, the Justice Department said disclosures will continue on a rolling basis, citing the time required to redact survivors’ names and identifying details. It has not provided a timeline for further releases, an approach that has angered some survivors and lawmakers.
“I feel like again the DOJ, the justice system is failing us,” said Marina Lacerda, who alleges Epstein began sexually abusing her at his Manhattan mansion when she was 14.
Redactions and Revelations
Federal prosecutors charged Epstein with sex trafficking in 2019, but he died by suicide in jail before trial. The newly released records represent only a fraction of potentially millions of pages in the department’s possession. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has said Manhattan prosecutors alone had more than 3.6 million records related to Epstein and Maxwell, many duplicative.
While many documents were previously public through court filings or freedom of information requests, new materials often lack context or are heavily redacted. One 119-page document labeled “Grand Jury–NY” was entirely blacked out.
Republican allies of Trump highlighted photos of Clinton with entertainers such as Michael Jackson and Diana Ross, as well as images of Epstein with figures including Chris Tucker, Kevin Spacey, and Walter Cronkite. None of the photos were captioned or explained.
A Case That Went Uncharged
The most consequential disclosures suggest federal prosecutors had a strong case against Epstein in 2007 but did not bring charges. Newly released grand jury transcripts include testimony from FBI agents describing interviews with girls and young women some as young as 14, who said they were paid to perform sex acts for Epstein.
One woman testified that Epstein paid her $200 for each girl she recruited, many from her high school. “I also told them that if they are under age, just lie about it and tell him that you are 18,” she said.
The documents also include a later interview with Alexander Acosta, the U.S. attorney who oversaw the case and later served as labor secretary during Trump’s first term. Acosta cited concerns about jury credibility and the legal gray area between sex trafficking and prostitution.
“I’m not saying it was the right view,” Acosta said, adding that public attitudes toward survivors have since changed.
Jennifer Freeman, an attorney for Epstein accuser Maria Farmer and other survivors, said the release is bittersweet. “It’s a triumph and a tragedy,” she said. “It looks like the government did absolutely nothing. Horrible things have happened—and if they had investigated even minimally, they could have stopped him.”
–Kristin L. Keller
