House Democrats on Friday made public a new set of photographs from the personal collection of the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, sparking renewed debate over transparency, influence and political motives. The images show Epstein alongside several well-known public figures and offer a wider look into his social circle before his 2019 death in federal custody.
High-Profile Faces in a Troubling Archive
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released an initial group of 19 photos drawn from roughly 95,000 images the Epstein estate provided to Congress, party leaders said. The photos depict Epstein with individuals including President Donald Trump, former President Bill Clinton, Steve Bannon and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.
In several of the images, Mr. Trump appears in social settings and in one black-and-white frame stands with six women whose faces have been redacted by committee staff. Clinton is shown in a signed print alongside Epstein and his convicted associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
“These disturbing photos raise even more questions about Epstein and his relationships with some of the most powerful men in the world,” said Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the committee. “We will not rest until the American people get the truth.”
Another batch of about 70 images released later Friday included interior shots of Epstein’s properties, seemingly mundane scenes and one snapshot of Epstein in a bathtub.
The White House and Republican lawmakers sharply criticized the Democratic release, calling it selective and politically motivated. Abigail Jackson, a White House spokeswoman, said Democrats were attempting to “create a false narrative” by publishing certain photos without full context.
“The Trump Administration has done more for Epstein’s victims than Democrats ever have,” Jackson said in a statement.
President Trump himself downplayed the images, saying he had not seen them but framed them as unsurprising. “Everybody knew this man. He was all over Palm Beach,” Trump told reporters. “He has photos with everybody. So that’s no big deal.”
Republican members of the Oversight panel charged that Democrats were “cherry-picking” from the large trove of photos to emphasize ties to political opponents.
Committee Democrats argue the photographs are an important step in fulfilling public demand for transparency regarding Epstein’s activities and connections. They are releasing the images ahead of a Dec. 19 deadline set by the recently passed Epstein Files Transparency Act, which requires the Justice Department to make related case files public.
Supporters of the law say full disclosure is essential to understanding the scope of Epstein’s network and to ensuring justice for his victims. Critics, however, contend that merely showing social interaction does not prove illegal conduct by any individuals pictured.
The photos released so far do not show criminal activity or underage persons. Committee leaders emphasized that redactions were applied to protect privacy and avoid further trauma for victims.