The US Department of Justice said it temporarily removed a photo containing Donald Trump from its Epstein files webpage after concerns were raised about protecting victims. Following a review, the image was restored after officials determined it did not depict any victims.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the removal had nothing to do with Trump’s identity and rejected claims of political interference, describing such allegations as unfounded.
The DOJ explained that the image was initially flagged by the Southern District of New York for further assessment. After confirming that no Epstein victims appeared in the photograph, it was reposted without any alteration or redaction.
At least 13 files linked to Jeffrey Epstein briefly disappeared from the DOJ website after the mass release of documents, prompting questions from Democrats on the House Oversight Committee about transparency and accountability.
Blanche said the DOJ is required to consider concerns raised by victims or victims’ rights groups, and that some materials were temporarily removed after publication to ensure appropriate safeguards.
Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein and has not been accused of any crimes by Epstein’s victims. The DOJ stressed that the presence of the image does not imply misconduct.
