Donald Trump Under Guard In Partially Released Epstein Files? Limited Reference of Jeffrey Epstein’s ‘Close Friend’ Raises Eyebrows

New Delhi: The long-awaited Jeffrey Epstein files that the United States Justice Department released on Friday about its investigation into the case of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has set off a political whirlwind in America. However, a New York Times report stated that US President Donald Trump's name was hardly mentioned in a rough scan of most of the documents and photographs released in the preliminary batch.

The US President was a close friend of Financier Jeffrey Epstein. Trump's initial refusal to release the controversial Epstein files had led to speculation whether those files had elaborate mentions of the President. Many of his allies had earlier said that his name features in these files.

Photos of Trump

Most of the files released in the first tranche by the Justice Department, were heavily redacted, to protect the identities of the victims. The visible ones had some photos and references to Trump. The photos that were released, were already out on public domain. These included shots of him and Melania Trump with Epstein and the latter's close associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.  The framed photo was found on top of a dresser.

In one of the photos released, Epstein could be seen standing with a woman whose face has been redacted. Both of them were seen holding a novelty check for $22,500, signed by Donald Trump. The photo frame was titled ‘Once in a blue moon’.

References To Trump

The files revealed some references to Trump in Epstein's address book and his flight logs. Trump was also mentioned in a message book which was used by Epstein's assistants. to inform him about his missed phone calls. It should be noted that those documents were already out in public.

The President's name also featured in the interviews with Maxwell. The transcripts of these interviews were already made public by the Justice Department. These were rereleased on Friday as well.

Trump's Association With Epstein

Earlier in 2016, one of Epstein's criminal defense lawyers, Alan Dershowitz, said that he had seen Trump at Epstein's home. However, he refrained from sharing further details. The President had been downplaying his relationship with Epstein, saying that the two of them snapped ties after Epstein recruited an employee from Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

Bill Clinton's Hot Tub Photo

Trump's scarce mention in the files are in contrast to references to former President Bill Clinton. Dozens of photos of Clinton were in various settings, including one of him in a hot tub. There were several photos of Clinton. Some showed him on a private plane, with a woman sitting on his lap with her face redacted. Another showed him in a pool with Maxwell, along with a person whose face was redacted. 

Reacting to these photos, Clinton spokesman Angel Ureña said that the Epstein files “isn't about Bill Clinton.”

“There are two types of people here,” he said. “The first group knew nothing and cut Epstein off before his crimes came to light. The second group continued relationships after that. We’re in the first. No amount of stalling by people in the second group will change that.” Clinton was never accused of misconduct by any of Epstein’s known victims.

What Are The Epstein Files

The US Department of Justice published the first of an unknown number of releases of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein on Friday. These files, almost 4000 of them, contain controversial photos, notes, and several other documents that can point to relationship of several key kigures in the United States with Epstein. 

The 3,951 documents released in four volumes by the Department of Justice on Friday, was only a fraction of the total the department would be releasing under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. 

The documents contained hundreds of images of Epstein and his girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell. Maxwell was a convicted accomplice in the sex trafficking operation carried out for years, which also involved several other associates, celebrities, and politicians. 

The Redactions

Several democratic lawmakers accused the Justice Department of withholding large portions of its archive, and accused them of failing to comply with the law’s disclosure mandate. There are allegations that the Justice Department might be shielding some influential individuals, including many within the present US government, by redacting those portions.

According to a global news channel, may officials within the Department have expressed their frustrations over the vague guidance lawyers responsible for redacting the material were given. Another news channel reported that the standards used to protect victims were also applied to “politically exposed individuals" and "government officials.” 

What Democrats Say

The Democrats have voiced their concern about the partial release of the Epstein Files, saying that not releasing them completely, violates the law. They have also claimed that the administration is continuing a “pattern of protecting President Trump” at the expense of Epstein’s survivors. 

A spokesperson for Senator Dick Durbin, who is the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said that the justice department failed to comply with the law.

“The Justice Department’s failure to fully comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act not only violates the law, it continues this administration’s pattern of protecting President Trump and other perpetrators and perpetuating the ongoing Bondi-Patel coverup at the expense of Epstein’s survivors," the spokesperson was quoted as saying.

The White House however maintained that the Trump administration is “the most transparent in history.”

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