President Trump responds to photos of Epstein released by Democrats
President Trump said he had not seen the photos of Epstein released by Democrats and said, “I don’t know anything about it.”
The deadline for the Justice Department to release files on sex offender Jeffrey Epstein approaches as Democrats keep up the pressure with more leaked photos.
In November, President Donald Trump signed the Epstein File Transparency Act with support from both the House and Senate.
The law gives the Justice Department 30 days to release most files related to the Epstein investigation, but the clock is ticking.
In the weeks since the law was enacted, some courts have given the green light for the release of documents related to Epstein. On December 10, a federal district judge in Manhattan ordered the release of the grand jury investigation into Epstein. A day earlier, another judge granted a similar request in the case of Epstein’s colleague Ghislaine Maxwell.
Lawmakers hope documents about Epstein, who died by suicide in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, will shed more light on his relationships with the wealthy and powerful.
When will the Epstein files be released?
Under the Epstein File Transparency Act, the Justice Department has 30 days to release documents related to Epstein.
President Trump signed the bill on November 19th, so the files must be released by December 19th.
However, due to legal exceptions, all documents may not be released. The law states that the Justice Department may withhold “documents that could jeopardize an active federal investigation or ongoing prosecution, so long as such withholding is limited and temporary.”
President Trump in November ordered the Justice Department to launch an investigation into Democrats with ties to Epstein. Under the law, President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi could cite the federal investigation as a reason to withhold some documents.
The law also allows authorities to violate victims’ privacy and withhold records containing confidential information about child sexual abuse.
More photos of Epstein released
Since the order was enacted, some House Democrats have released photos related to Epstein’s inner circle.
On December 3, Democratic members of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee released photos from Epstein’s private island. Photos show various rooms and items found on the island, including a dentist’s chair, a wall of masks, and a phone with a list of speed dials.
Democrats on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee said the footage is “never-seen-before photos and videos of Jeffrey Epstein’s private island, and provides a harrowing picture of what happened behind Epstein’s closed doors.”
And on Dec. 12, House Democrats released 89 images, including photos of sex toys and bondage gear, as well as snapshots of Epstein with big names like Trump and former President Bill Clinton.
Melina Khan is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. Contact her at melina.khan@usatoday.com.
Contributors: Joey Garrison, Kinsey Crowley, Bert Jansen
