Justice Department restores Trump photo to public database of Epstein files
- - Justice Department restores Trump photo to public database of Epstein files
By Siddharth Cavale and Helen CosterDecember 21, 2025 at 11:56 PM
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1 / 2U.S. President Donald Trump makes an announcement in WashingtonU.S. President Donald Trump gestures as he makes an announcement about lowering the cost of drug prices, at the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., December 19, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
By Siddharth Cavale and Helen Coster
NEW YORK, Dec 21 (Reuters) - A photo of U.S. President Donald Trump that had been removed from the cache of Jeffrey Epstein files released by the Department of Justice was restored on Sunday after officials determined none of Epstein's victims were in the image, the department said.
The photo showing a desk with an open drawer containing a photo of Trump with various women was flagged by the Southern District of New York for review to protect potential victims.
"After the review, it was determined there is no evidence that any Epstein victims are depicted in the photograph, and it has been reposted without any alteration or redaction," the Justice Department said on X on Sunday.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said earlier on Sunday his office removed the photo because of concerns about women in the photo. “It has nothing to do with President Trump,” Blanche said during a Sunday morning appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press with Kristen Welker."
The Justice Department released thousands of documents on Friday related to Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender who committed suicide in 2019. But it has drawn criticism, including from some Republicans, over extensive redactions and few documents mentioning Trump despite his well-publicized friendship with Epstein.
During an ABC News interview on Sunday, Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called for a "full and complete investigation as to why the document production has fallen short of what the law clearly required."
Up to 16 photos, including the desk drawer Trump image, were removed on Saturday from the Justice Department website, according to The New York Times, NPR and the , although Reuters could not independently confirm the removals.
The Justice Department said on Sunday it acted with an abundance of caution after receiving requests from alleged victims and their lawyers to remove information.
Trump has not been accused of wrongdoing and has denied knowing about Epstein's crimes.
(Reporting by Siddharth Cavale and Helen Coster in New York; Editing by Sergio Non and Chris Reese)
Source: “AOL Money”
