Deputy AG Says Epstein Photo Removals 'Have Nothing To Do' With Trump; Review Underway After Victims' Concerns

Deputy U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Sunday that the removal of photographs from the Justice Department's recent release of Jeffrey Epstein-related files — including an image in which a photograph of Donald Trump appeared — "have nothing to do" with the president. He said the images were temporarily taken down for review after requests from victims' advocacy groups and will likely be restored after officials determine whether redactions are required.

Photos Pulled at Victims' Request, Blanche Says

Blanche told NBC News' Meet the Press that 16 images were removed at the request of victim-advocacy organizations. "We don't have perfect information," he said. "So when we hear from victims-rights groups about this type of photograph, we pull it down and investigate." He added that an inquiry into the images is ongoing and that the photos "will go back up," with the outstanding question being whether they require redactions to protect survivors.

Survivors' Advocates: System Failed Survivors

Victims' rights attorney Gloria Allred told CNN that the document release demonstrated failures in protecting survivors. "I saw a number of survivors' names which should never have been published, because the whole point is to protect the survivors," she said. Allred also expressed alarm that some images that should have been redacted appeared unaltered and, in some cases, may show women unclothed.

"That is completely unacceptable," Allred said, calling for a full review and stronger safeguards before further public disclosures.

One Epstein survivor, who said she reported him to the FBI in 2009, wrote in a redacted letter posted to X that her name had been exposed in the Justice Department's mass disclosure even though she had previously been denied access to her own FBI file. "The contradiction is extraordinary," the letter said.

Political Fallout and Legal Questions

The partial release has prompted criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Democrats argued the disclosure fell short of the congressional mandate that produced the release, while Republicans accused Democrats of selectively publishing material in ways that further political aims.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called the initial release "inadequate," saying it did not meet legal obligations. Representative Ro Khanna, who co-authored the Epstein Files Transparency Act, has called for accountability and argued Attorney General Pam Bondi should face impeachment proceedings over the failure to produce a full release by the statute's deadline of December 19, according to his statements.

Blanche defended the pace of the review, saying the statute also requires protections for victims and that the Justice Department prioritized those protections over immediate full publication. "The reason why we are still reviewing documents and still continuing our process is simply that — to protect the victims," he said. "So the same individuals that are out there complaining about the lack of documents that were produced on Friday are the same individuals who apparently don't want us to protect victims," Blanche added.

Specific Removals and Accusations

Among the items removed was a photograph of Epstein's desk in his New York mansion that showed two framed photos of Donald Trump; that file (file 468) was pulled from the Justice Department's disclosures and from downloadable folders. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee posted about the removal on X and questioned whether other materials were being withheld.

The Justice Department said in a statement that "photos and other materials will continue being reviewed and redacted consistent with the law in an abundance of caution as we receive additional information."

Partisan tensions have intensified the controversy. Democrats say the documents released so far appear selectively redacted in ways that implicate Democratic figures, including former president Bill Clinton, while committee Republicans countered that Democrats have previously posted "cherry-picked edited photos to try to score political points" and cautioned that such actions can harm victims.

Broader Questions About Redactions

Some observers say redactions have, at times, been too broad. A photo released showing Bill Clinton, Michael Jackson and Diana Ross on a plane was heavily redacted to obscure a child's face; that child was later identified as Jackson's son and the unaltered image is available in commercial photo archives. Democratic Senator Tim Kaine urged that any unanswered questions about Clinton's relationship with Epstein be resolved by releasing material, saying, "Let's put all the facts and all the material out on the table, and then folks can reach their own judgments."

Representative Nancy Mace, a Republican, said she is concerned about both "unnecessary redactions" and the need to protect victims' identities and images — reflecting the broader tension between transparency and survivor privacy that has driven the current review.

What Comes Next

The Justice Department's review is ongoing. Officials say they will continue to evaluate photos and documents as they receive additional information from victims' representatives and other sources, and that materials will be reposted if appropriate after redaction decisions are finalized.