DOJ defends removing Trump photo from Epstein files
One of the photos removed from the Epstein files shows a desk covered with images, including of President Trump and former President Clinton. Photo: @OversightDems/X
A photo of President Trump along with a batch of other files was initially removed from the Justice Department's newly released tranche of thousands of Jeffrey Epstein-related documents, images and recordings.
- The photo of the president has since been re-uploaded by the DOJ.
The big picture: The vanishing files related to convicted sex offender Epstein's case fueled accusations that Trump's DOJ is selectively withholding information, raising questions about compliance with Congress' disclosure law and setting up a potential legal and political showdown.
- Republican Rep. "Thomas Massie and I are exploring all options," Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) said in a Friday video posted to X. "It can be the impeachment of people at Justice, inherent contempt or referring for prosecution those who are obstructing justice."
- Massie said on CBS News' "Face the Nation" Sunday that the DOJ is "flouting the spirit and the letter of the law."
Driving the news: AP, CBS and other outlets reported that more than a dozen files that were previously available in the Epstein-related documents released Friday were no longer accessible Saturday.
- Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said on "Meet the Press" Sunday that speculation that a photo was removed because Trump was in it was "laughable."
- He told NBC's Kristen Welker that the DOJ removed the photo because of the women who were also included in it.
- "It has nothing to do with President Trump," he said.
The latest: The Justice Department said in a Sunday post on X that the Southern District of New York had flagged the image "for potential further action to protect victims" and that the DOJ had pulled it down "out of an abundance of caution."
- It was determined there was "no evidence" any victims were depicted in the photo, so "it has been reposted without any alteration or redaction."
Zoom in: The New York Times and AP both reported that 16 files were gone Saturday, while CBS News said at least 15 were missing.
- The previously missing image showed a desk covered in photos — including a picture of former President Clinton and at least one of Trump, who appears to be posing alongside his wife, Epstein and the late financier's convicted co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell.
- In another, NBC reported, a man who appears to be Trump is pictured with women, including at least one in a bikini.
What they're saying: House Oversight Democrats questioned Attorney General Pam Bondi about the missing file in a Saturday statement that read, "is this true? What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public."
- Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said on CNN's "State of the Union" that if possible, Democrats will bring litigation.
- "Trump opposed the legislation up until the very end when he could read the writing on the wall," Raskin said. "Then he said, 'oh, I'm for it.' They've decided they're just going to try to obstruct the implementation of the legislation."
- The Justice Department said in a Saturday statement that the materials will "continue being reviewed and redacted consistent with the law in an abundance of caution as we receive additional information."
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) described the incomplete release as a "big mistake" on ABC's "This Week."
- He continued, "The administration has struggled months and months with something they initially ginned up and then ... tried to tamp down," he said. "So any evidence or any kind of indication that there's not a full reveal on this, this will just plague them for months and months more."
Zoom out: The documents — accessible here — include transcripts from Maxwell's interview with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, surveillance video from the prison where Epstein killed himself in 2019 and flight logs from the Virgin Islands to Palm Beach, among other filings.
- Blanche previously said more documents should be rolled out within the coming weeks. On Sunday, he said the DOJ is still reviewing files in order to "protect victims."
- He told Welker the DOJ had learned the names of additional victims but was not currently preparing to bring new charges based on the content of the files.
- Congress gave DOJ a 30-day deadline to release documents in its possession under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a deadline lawmakers say the DOJ is missing.
Yes, but: Khanna said Sunday on "Face the Nation" that the problem is not how long the DOJ is taking. Rather, he said, "The problem is this was a slap in the face of survivors."
- He added, "It's not about the timeline. It's about the selective concealment."
- Khanna and Massie floated initiating contempt proceedings against Bondi. Blanche responded to such threats on NBC, saying, "Bring it on."
Go deeper: Dems threaten lawsuit as DOJ says it will miss Epstein files deadline