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Democratic lawmakers unveiled a collection of photographs from Jeffrey Epstein's estate on Friday, including images of President Donald Trump and former President Bill Clinton alongside the late convicted sex offender, intensifying scrutiny of the powerful figures who associated with the disgraced financier.
The 19 photos released by the House Oversight Committee show Trump in three separate images, Clinton with Epstein and convicted associate Ghislaine Maxwell, and several other prominent individuals including former Trump advisor Steve Bannon, ex-Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, filmmaker Woody Allen, and the former British royal now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Virgin Group's Richard Branson also appear in the collection.
While the undated photographs do not depict any illegal activity and the connections between Epstein and these figures were previously documented, Democrats on the committee said the images raise additional questions about the financier's relationships with influential men. The release comes as federal authorities face a December 19 congressional deadline to disclose Justice Department files from the extensive Epstein investigation.
The Trump administration swiftly condemned the photo release, with White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson dismissing what she called "cherry-picked" images intended to construct a misleading story. Jackson characterized the effort as a "Democrat hoax against President Trump" that has been "repeatedly debunked."
The published images include one showing Trump standing beside six women wearing Hawaiian leis, their faces redacted from the photograph. A second captures Trump in conversation with a blonde woman while Epstein appears in the background, and a third depicts Trump seated next to another blonde woman whose face has been obscured. Clinton appears in a photo with Epstein, Maxwell, and two unidentified individuals.
Epstein built a network of wealthy and powerful acquaintances over decades, frequently entertaining them at his opulent Caribbean residence. His 2008 Florida conviction on sex crime charges, including solicitation of prostitution involving a minor, resulted in approximately one year of detention under notably permissive terms that allowed him to avoid more serious prosecution at the time.
Federal authorities arrested Epstein again in 2019 on sex trafficking charges involving minors. He died in pretrial detention later that year in what officials ruled a suicide. Maxwell, his longtime associate, is currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking a minor and related offenses.
The president's position on the Epstein files has undergone a significant transformation. Trump and his political allies spent years promoting theories that powerful Democrats received protection regarding their Epstein connections, portraying the case as evidence of how wealth and influence can shield wrongdoing.
However, Trump resisted releasing the documents for months before yielding to bipartisan congressional pressure last month and signing legislation mandating their disclosure. His shift coincided with beginning his second presidential term in January, moving from advocating for transparency to labeling the matter a hoax.
The extent of information that will ultimately become public remains uncertain, as authorities are expected to withhold portions of the files by citing protection of ongoing investigations. Trump's own longtime friendship with Epstein has raised questions about his knowledge of the financier's criminal activities.
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