Trump Team Breaks Silence As 16 Epstein Files Vanish From DOJ Website

Washington: The Trump team has issued the first statement following the mysterious disappearance of at least 16 Jeffrey Epstein-related files from the US Justice Department's website, including a photo featuring Donald Trump. The team issued a clarification stating that the missing photos had nothing to do with Trump. Reportedly, those 16 files, which were available on Friday, were no longer accessible by Saturday, leading to speculation about a possible cover-up.

According to reports, the disappeared files included images of paintings depicting nude women and a photograph showing a series of pictures along a credenza and in drawers. One of these images featured Trump alongside Epstein, Melania Trump, and Ghislaine Maxwell. The disappearance of the photo has stirred suspicion, especially since Trump's name has been mentioned in earlier disclosures, including flight logs from Epstein's private jet.

In their statement, the Trump team asserted that the president has nothing to hide and has already distanced himself from Epstein. They also pointed out that the Democrats are trying to deflect attention from their own connections to Epstein, citing photos of Bill Clinton with Epstein and other celebrities.

Meanwhile, the Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have demanded answers, asking, "What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public." They have also questioned the timing of the disappearance, suggesting it might be an attempt to conceal information.

The Justice Department has attributed the removal to an "abundance of caution" as they review and redact sensitive information. They plan to release more records in the coming weeks.

DOJ Defends Partial Release Of Epstein Files

The release of Jeffrey Epstein's files has blown a firestorm of controversy, with the Democrats accusing the Trump administration of deliberately withholding information. The partial release of documents, which was supposed to be a comprehensive disclosure of Epstein's dealings, has left many feeling suspicious.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the decision to release only a fraction of the files, claiming it was necessary to protect the victims of Epstein's abuse. "The reason we're still reviewing documents is to protect victims," he stated, while talking to a foreign news channel. However, the analysts argued that the Trump administration was using this as an excuse to hide information that could be damaging to Trump and his key associates. 

Missing Epstein Files, Cover-Up Accusations

The controversy ignited after reports of some of the most consequential records, including FBI interviews with survivors and internal Justice Department memos, were nowhere to be found. The released documents were heavily redacted, with some pages completely blacked out. At least 16 files, including a photo of Trump with Epstein, were removed from the Justice Department's website less than a day after they were posted.

The Democratic lawmakers accused the Trump administration of obstructing the implementation of the law mandating the release of the documents. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said the Justice Department was trying to cover up information that could be embarrassing to Trump and his associates, saying, “It's all about covering up things that, for whatever reason, Donald Trump doesn't want to go public.”

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., indicated they could draft articles of impeachment against Attorney General Pam Bondi for failing to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, saying, "It's not about the timeline, it's about the selective concealment."

Amidst a surge in the heat over the partial release of the documents related to the Epstein files and disappearance incident, the Justice Department has promised to release more documents in the coming weeks.