The disclosure comes as the Justice Department faces a Dec. 19 deadline to release files related to the Epstein investigation under legislation approved by Congress and signed by President Trump.
WASHINGTON – House Democrats have received a trove of 95,000 more photos from the estate of accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and released 19 images of Presidents Donald Trump, Bill Clinton and other celebrities.
The photo release is the latest push by Democrats to urge the Justice Department to release all files related to Epstein’s criminal investigation.
Under a bill that President Trump first opposed and later signed, Congress set a Dec. 19 release deadline. Three federal judges have authorized the release of grand jury reports and other investigative evidence against Epstein and his close aide Ghislaine Maxwell.
It is unclear why Democrats on the House Oversight Committee chose to release these 19 photos, which included images of sex toys and separate snapshots of various VIPs whose past relationships with Epstein were already widely known.
New photo shows Epstein with Trump, Bannon and other celebrities
A new photo released by the Democratic House Oversight Committee shows Jeffrey Epstein with a prominent figure.
The photos were published without captions identifying or providing the scene, date, location, or background of the celebrity in the photo.
“All we want is complete transparency,” said House Majority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.). “That’s what Epstein survivors deserve and demand.”
One photo shows Trump, who was a longtime friend of Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s, posing for a photo with women whose faces have been painted black. In various photos, he is seen chatting and sitting next to women. One depicts a “Trump Condom” sign.
Other images below the sign include former President Bill Clinton, director Woody Allen, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, and former British prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who was recently stripped of his royal title by his brother Charles III. One image shows Allen talking with former Trump adviser Steve Bannon.
Where do these photos come from?
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have sought and received documents containing these photos from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate and have gradually released the information. They also released a trove of emails, as well as photos and videos from Mr. Epstein’s private island.
These are not the same documents and information that the Justice Department is required by law to release by Dec. 19.
Epstein died in federal prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The death was ruled a suicide.
–Sarah D. Wire
Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, told reporters on Dec. 12 that he expected the committee to release more photos in the coming days as committee staff continues to review and edit images to protect survivors.
“We’ve probably gone through about 25,000 of them so far,” he said. “We will continue to publish more photos in the coming days and weeks.”
Ghislaine Maxwell’s files receive release order
A judge has ordered the release of case files related to Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein after Congress authorized the release of more information.
Garcia said the photos his staff reviewed were disturbing, but he declined to provide further details.
“Some of the other photos we didn’t release today are incredibly disturbing,” he said.
Woody Allen’s name also appears in Epstein’s emails
Woody Allen’s name appeared in Epstein’s emails previously released by the Republican majority on the House Oversight Committee.
Epstein’s name is mentioned in emails between him, biotech venture capitalist Boris Nikolic, and PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel. According to the documents, both men had an email relationship with Epstein.
In a 2011 email, Epstein shared a Daily Beast article that mentioned Allen and Nikolic. “How does The Daily Beast know about Woody Allen’s dinner with his crew?” Nikolic asks. “Who knows? Some of your employees?”
In a 2014 email, Epstein asked Thiel if he was interested in Woody Allen. Later in the chain, he says, “we’re thinking about casual dinners with Woody.”
–Erin Mansfield
This story is developing. Please check the latest information.
