In a move that has sparked widespread outrage and accusations of a cover-up, the U.S. Department of Justice temporarily removed at least 16 files—including a prominent photograph featuring President Donald Trump—from its public “Epstein Library” website just one day after their initial release on December 19, 2025.
The controversial image (file 468) depicts an open drawer in Jeffrey Epstein’s home filled with personal photos, among them one showing Trump with Epstein, Melania Trump, and Ghislaine Maxwell, alongside another of Trump surrounded by women in bathing suits. Posted Friday as part of thousands of documents mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the files vanished by Saturday without immediate explanation, prompting Democrats on the House Oversight Committee to demand: “What else is being covered up?”
Bipartisan critics, including the law’s co-sponsors Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), accused the DOJ of flouting congressional intent. Khanna and Massie threatened lawsuits, impeachment proceedings against Attorney General Pam Bondi, or inherent contempt charges, arguing the removals and heavy redactions violate the act’s requirement for full disclosure by December 19.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the action on NBC’s Meet the Press on December 21, calling suggestions of protecting Trump “laughable” and insisting the pull-downs stemmed solely from victim-protection concerns flagged by the Southern District of New York and advocacy groups. “It has nothing to do with President Trump,” Blanche stated, noting the DOJ acts “out of an abundance of caution” upon any flag for potential victim depictions.
By Sunday afternoon, the DOJ restored the Trump photo after review confirmed no victims appeared in it, reposting it unaltered. A department statement on X reiterated commitments to transparency while prioritizing survivor privacy.
The incident amplifies broader frustrations with the release: heavily redacted documents, a “slow-drip” rollout extending into the holidays, and minimal new mentions of Trump despite his past ties to Epstein. While no evidence implicates Trump in crimes, the quiet removals—amid a presidency overseeing the process—fuel urgent questions about selective handling and whether deeper connections remain concealed in unreleased files.
As rolling disclosures continue, the episode underscores eroding trust in the DOJ’s stewardship of one of America’s most explosive scandals, leaving victims’ advocates and lawmakers demanding unredacted accountability.
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