Administration Decries 'Democratic Hoax' as Additional Epstein Estate Photos Released
Democratic lawmakers have made public a additional set of what they termed "troubling" photographs from the estate of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, featuring among others Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, and former British royal Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
The first release of 19 images—a portion of which have been previously circulated—plus another 70 released later on Friday constitute a small number of the nearly 100,000 images handed over to the House investigative panel, which is probing the actions and ties of Epstein.
The disgraced financier was a victim of an apparent self-inflicted death in a New York prison cell in 2019 after being indicted on sex-trafficking crimes.
High-Profile Individuals in the Photos
Included in the notable figures seen in the opening set are public figures including film director Woody Allen; Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates; and Richard Branson, creator of the Virgin conglomerate.
Donald Trump is featured in three of the initial 19 images. In one, he is photographed with six women, whose faces are redacted.
Administration Reaction
The White House addressed the release in a statement, charging Democrats of purposefully "hand-picking" the photographs for electoral motives and to "seek to establish a false narrative."
"The Democrat hoax against President Trump has been repeatedly debunked," an administration official said, asserting that "the current government has done more for Epstein's survivors than Democrats have ever done by frequently urging disclosure, making public numerous documents of records, and urging more inquiries into Epstein's Democratic associates."
Democratic Lawmaker Remarks
The images were published without context, but per a Democratic representative from California and senior member of the investigative panel, they prompt further inquiries about Epstein's links with the rich and powerful.
"It is time to stop this White House concealment and bring justice to the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and his well-connected allies," he said in a release.
The release of these documents coincides with the House panel pressing on with its inquiry into the Epstein matter.
