The latest release of documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein case has been marred by controversy after it emerged that at least 16 files are missing from the online trove published by the US Department of Justice (DOJ). Among the absent documents are two photographs featuring former President Donald Trump.
Missing Images and Allegations of a Cover-Up
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee raised the alarm on Saturday, highlighting the apparent removal of an image from the files. The missing document reportedly showed two printed pictures of Mr Trump found in a desk drawer. One photograph depicted Mr Trump standing with women in swimsuits, while the second was a partially obscured, previously known image of him with his wife Melania, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Jeffrey Epstein.
Sky News verified the file's absence after downloading the documents when they were first released on Friday. The online list now shows a gap where the file, ending in '468', was originally located. The other missing documents were almost entirely nude paintings of women from Epstein's residences.
The Oversight Committee Democrats have labelled the situation a "White House cover-up." Mr Trump has not commented on the file release and has not been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with the Epstein case.
Widespread Criticism Over Redactions and Errors
Thousands of pages were made public by the DOJ on Friday, just hours before a legal deadline imposed by the Epstein Files Transparency Act. A significant number were heavily redacted, with the DOJ stating this was to protect the identities of more than 1,200 victims and their families named within.
However, this justification has been questioned by victims, legal experts, and the public. Ashley Rubright, who was abused by Epstein from the age of 15, told Sky News that completely redacted pages could not solely be for protecting victims' identities. "I just don't know if we'll ever know what that is," she said regarding the true reason.
Prominent lawyer Gloria Allred, who represents several victims, revealed a major failure in the process. She stated that despite the heavy censorship, some survivors' compromising pictures and names were left unredacted in the released files, causing further trauma. "So this is further trauma to survivors... This is a major concern because the law clearly indicates... that the names and any identifying information of the survivors must be redacted," Allred said.
DOJ Admits Review Vulnerable to Error
In a letter to the judges overseeing the Epstein and Maxwell cases, US Attorney Jay Clayton acknowledged that a review "of this size and scope is vulnerable to machine error [or] instances of human error." He also explained the DOJ's decision to redact the faces of all women in photographs with Epstein, even where not all are known victims, citing the impracticality of identifying every person.
This methodology has sparked confusion and speculation online. The release includes photos of numerous celebrities and public figures with Epstein, though their presence implies no wrongdoing, and many have denied any involvement.
While the Trump administration has claimed historic transparency, Congress forced the release by voting to make the files public by 19 December. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, a former personal lawyer for Donald Trump, indicated that more documents would follow in the coming weeks. Critics, including Democrats, some Republicans, and lawyers like Ms Allred, argue the partial release fails to comply with the law. Allred called it a "distraction" and vowed the fight for full transparency continues.
