(The Hill) — At least 16 files on the Justice Department’s (DOJ) webpage containing files on Jeffrey Epstein, including a photo featuring two pictures of President Trump, were found to have disappeared from the department’s website as of Saturday, The Associated Press reported.
DOJ posted to X Saturday night that “Photos and other materials will continue being reviewed and redacted consistent with the law in an abundance of caution as we receive additional information.” NewsNation partner The Hill has reached out to DOJ for comment.
The department initially told the public on its website that if it released information that “includes non-public personally identifiable information or other sensitive content, to include matters of a sexual nature,” then the public should contact DOJ if they find any “information that should not have been posted,” and officials will “take steps to correct the problem as soon as possible.”
It is not clear if that is why some files were removed, though attorney Gloria Allred, during an appearance on CNN Saturday afternoon, said she had been contacted by people who said their information should not have been posted.
Allred said in an email to The Hill that her firm’s legal team contacted DOJ on Saturday about names seen in the files, “which should have been redacted.”
“I can’t reveal where the names appeared, but we were told that the names will be redacted,” she said.
Files now missing from DOJ’s “Epstein Library” webpage included images of paintings depicting nude women and a series of photographs showing a desk with drawers, the AP wrote. The files were available upon their release Friday and were no longer accessible the next day.
One photo of the desk included two pictures inside an open drawer that featured Trump. The first printed picture shows Trump surrounded by a group of women in bathing suits. The second partially covered photo shows Trump with first lady Melania Trump, Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell in 2000.
“This photo, file 468, from the Epstein files that includes Donald Trump has apparently now been removed from the DOJ release,” Democrats on the House Oversight Committee stated in a post on the social platform X. “[Attorney General Pam Bondi] is this true? What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public.”
The rollout of files have been met with a wave of criticism over the heavy redactions and few revelations between Friday and Saturday. Photos released Friday showed Epstein with several prominent figures, including former President Clinton; actors Kevin Spacey and Chris Tucker; musicians Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson and Diana Ross; and news anchor Walter Cronkite.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) slammed the Trump administration for not releasing all the files in compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, of which Massie sponsored. The law stated that DOJ had 30 days to release all the files and also redact the names and identities of victims and individuals possibly under investigation.
The Kentucky Republican fired off several criticisms before asking followers on the social platform X to compare the text in the Epstein Files Transparency Act to DOJ’s letter to Congress sent on Friday about asserting their privilege to redact some of the files’ materials.
“Compare Language of Epstein Files Transparency Act directing DOJ to provide internal communications regarding their decisions Versus DOJ letter to Congress asserting privilege to omit materials related to decisions, because they weren’t specified by law,” Massie said in his post.
“THEY ARE FLAUNTING LAW,” he added.
On Friday, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said DOJ would continue to release the files in the coming weeks. He cited the delay was the result of redacting any names or identifying information of witnesses.