The U.S. Justice Department says it has restored a photo that was briefly removed from publicly released investigative files related to Jeffrey Epstein after determining it did not show any victims.
The image, which includes a photo of former president Donald Trump, was taken down on Saturday after federal prosecutors flagged it as a possible risk to victim privacy. Its removal sparked criticism from Democrats, who accused the department of political interference to protect Trump, a former acquaintance of Epstein.
The department said it removed the image “out of an abundance of caution” and reposted it after confirming no Epstein victims were pictured. Deputy U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the decision had nothing to do with Trump and was made after concerns raised by victim advocacy groups.
Victims’ rights advocates, including lawyer Gloria Allred, criticized the broader document release, saying some victims’ names and images were not properly redacted. One Epstein victim also said her identity was wrongly revealed in the files.
The partial release of Epstein-related documents has drawn heavy political criticism. Democrats argue the Justice Department failed to meet a legal requirement to release all records and accused the Trump administration of selective disclosure. Republicans deny wrongdoing and say protecting victims must come first.
The Justice Department said it will continue reviewing and redacting materials as needed to comply with the law and protect victims.
