After the DOJ published photos and documents from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation on Dec. 19 under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, Bill Clinton's former chief of staff Angel Ureña defended the former president and criticized the timing of the release. The materials include images showing Clinton with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell; some faces were redacted. Ureña reiterated Clinton's previous denials of knowledge about Epstein's crimes and urged that the focus remain on answers rather than scapegoating.
Clinton Aide Pushes Back After DOJ Publishes Epstein Photos Featuring Bill Clinton
Department of JusticeBill Clinton poses with Jeffrey Epstein in the latest release of photos from the Epstein files.
Following the Department of Justice's Dec. 19 release of photos and documents tied to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, Angel Ureña, former President Bill Clinton's chief of staff, issued a public statement defending Clinton and criticizing the timing and framing of the disclosures.
What the Release Included
The materials were published under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed into law on Nov. 19. Several images released by the DOJ show Bill Clinton in social settings with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, including a pool photo and a private-jet scene; some faces in the pictures were redacted.
Ureña’s Response
Ureña posted a statement on X arguing that the documents were not being withheld for the purpose of protecting Clinton and took aim at the timing of the release. He also noted that former President Donald Trump appears in some of the same files.
Department of JusticeBill Clinton is seen in the latest release of photos from the Epstein files.
“The White House hasn't been hiding these files for months only to dump them late on a Friday to protect Bill Clinton,” Ureña wrote, adding that the release appears designed by some to "shield themselves from what comes next, or from what they'll try and hide forever."
Ureña referenced comments by White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, who told Vanity Fair there is "no evidence" Clinton made repeated trips to Epstein's private island, Little St. James. He framed those connected to Epstein in two groups: people who ended ties before allegations surfaced, and those who continued relationships afterward. "We're in the first," he said.
Photo Descriptions And Context
Among the released images: a pool photo showing Clinton with Epstein and Maxwell and a redacted woman; another photo of Clinton standing between Epstein and another man; and a private-jet image in which a woman with a redacted face appears seated near Clinton. The DOJ release was made to comply with the statutory requirement to disclose unclassified records related to the investigation.
Clinton's Denials
Clinton has repeatedly denied knowledge of Epstein's crimes. In a July 2019 statement quoted by Ureña, Clinton said he "knows nothing about the terrible crimes Jeffrey Epstein pleaded guilty to in Florida" and maintained that his interactions with Epstein were limited to a few flights and a single visit to Epstein's Harlem office while accompanied by Secret Service. The statement reiterated that Clinton has never been to Little St. James Island, Epstein’s New Mexico ranch, or Epstein's Florida residence.
Why It Matters: The release fulfils a legal requirement to make unclassified DOJ materials public, but it has also reignited debate over the people who associated with Epstein and the extent of those associations. Ureña's statement underscores the political sensitivity of the disclosures and the demand for clearer answers from all involved.
