US Democrats accuse Trump authorities of deleting Epstein file | EUROtoday

As of: December 21, 2025 6:48 p.m

Less than 24 hours after their publication, paperwork seem to have been deleted from the Epstein recordsdata. Sharp criticism comes from the US Democrats – the Justice Department asserts transparency.

After 1000’s of Epstein recordsdata started to be printed, Democrats within the US Congress accused the Justice Department of deleting a file. Less than 24 hours after the recordsdata may very well be downloaded from the ministry’s web site, a photograph appeared to have been faraway from a knowledge set, in keeping with the allegation printed on X.

Partially framed pictures could be seen within the photograph in query. One of the pictures is older and reveals at this time’s President Donald Trump along with his spouse Melania, accompanied by the deceased intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein and his long-time confidant Ghislaine Maxwell. “If they take this picture down, imagine what else they want to hide,” mentioned Senate Democratic chief Chuck Schumer. Former US President Bill Clinton could be seen in one other image.

Apparently a number of pictures at the moment are lacking

Late on Friday afternoon, after huge strain from the general public, the ministry initially uploaded 4 knowledge units containing 1000’s of recordsdata to its web site. In addition to pictures, there have been additionally paperwork. Quite a lot of issues are fully blacked out – the ministry has already obtained criticism for this.

A pattern from the dpa information company discovered {that a} newer model of the primary knowledge set from Saturday contained not less than 16 fewer recordsdata than a earlier model of the archive from Friday afternoon. In addition to the photograph that Democrats say is lacking, the newer model additionally now not contains sure photographs of a room with a therapeutic massage desk.

US authorities rejects criticism

According to the US Department of Justice, sure paperwork had been deleted on the request of these affected. The eliminated pictures confirmed potential victims of Epstein who had not beforehand been recognized as such, mentioned Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on NBC News. The recordsdata had been subsequently deleted in gentle of ongoing investigations.

Todd didn’t clarify intimately why the photograph with Trump talked about by the Democrats was apparently deleted. The deputy lawyer common beforehand instructed ABC News that his workplace had not modified any recordsdata to guard President Trump. Nothing can be withheld due to this. He answered within the destructive when requested whether or not there had been an instruction to edit materials on the Epstein scandal that had a connection to the president.