Documents released Friday by the DOJ are no longer available
This version of Rcrd94891 - Politics and Government | NBC News Clone was adapted by NBC News Clone to help readers digest key facts more efficiently.
The Department of Justice is continuing its release of thousands of files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in accordance with a bipartisan bill signed into law last month.
Highlights from Dec. 20, 2025
- MISSING FILES: An NBC News review of the DOJ’s release of the Epstein files shows photographs that were made available Friday are missing as of Saturday evening. It is unclear why those files are gone.
- DOJ UNDER SCRUTINY: The authors of the Epstein bill, Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., said the initial release does not comply with their legislation, citing redactions and missing material. Khanna said they were “exploring all options” to obtain the full release.
- EPSTEIN RECORDS RELEASED: The Justice Department is continuing its release of thousands of records related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after Congress passed bipartisan legislation last month forcing the release. The documents include photos and court records.
- EPSTEIN CASE: Epstein died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled to be a suicide. His accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence on sex trafficking charges.
Scrutiny of DOJ’s release of Epstein documents continues into second day
Scrutiny of the Justice Department’s release of the Epstein files continued today as 15 images made available yesterday disappeared from the department’s website and with a leading Democratic senator vowing to investigate why all the records weren’t released at once.
One of the files removed includes a photo of a table with framed pictures of Epstein with famous people. Below the tabletop, an open drawer contained two printed pictures of President Donald Trump. One photo in the drawer showed Trump standing surrounded by women in bathing suits; the other was a known photo of Epstein with Trump, first lady Melania Trump and Ghislaine Maxwell.
Trump has not commented on the release of the files and has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein’s case.
Abigail Jackson, a White House spokeswoman, said in a statement yesterday — in part — that, “By releasing thousands of pages of documents, cooperating with the House Oversight Committee’s subpoena request, and President Trump recently calling for further investigations into Epstein’s Democrat friends, the Trump Administration has done more for the victims than Democrats ever have.”
The other photos removed from the trove of documents were almost all nude paintings of women in Epstein’s home.
Files made available Friday no longer appear on DOJ’s website
Fifteen pictures from the Epstein docs that were released yesterday by the Department of Justice have now been removed from the DOJ site as of today.
NBC News has reached out to the DOJ for comment and has not heard back.
The removed pictures include a picture of a table with framed pictures of Epstein with famous people. Below the tabletop a drawer is open and in the drawer are two printed pictures of Donald Trump.
One picture on the bottom left has Trump standing surrounded by women in bathing suits. The second picture behind the bathing suit picture appears to be a famous picture (partly obscured) of Trump, Melania, Ghislaine Maxwell and Epstein.
The other photos that were removed from the trove of pictures are almost all of nude paintings of women in Epstein’s home.
Top Senate Judiciary Dem promises to investigate Epstein files release
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, in a statement Saturday promised to, "investigate this violation of law and make sure the American people know about it," referring to the Justice Department's failure on Friday to release all of the Epstein files.
Friday was the deadline outlined in the law Congress passed last month ordering the release of the Epstein files.
"Yesterday could have been a win for survivors, accountability, and transparency to the public. It wasn’t. After mishandling the Epstein files all year, the Trump Administration is now violating federal law to protect the rich and powerful. It took an act of Congress to force Pam Bondi, Kash Patel, and Dan Bongino to even consider providing justice. They had a choice: survivors or Donald Trump. They chose the latter," Durbin said. "Senate Judiciary Democrats will investigate this violation of law and make sure the American people know about it."
Almost 700 pages redacted in Friday's Epstein files drop
In the four data sets released yesterday pursuant to the Epstein Files Transparency Act, an NBC News analysis found that more than 680 pages of documents were entirely redacted.
Court documents released today don't mention Trump or Clinton
An initial search of the court documents posted in the new files posted today revealed no mentions of “Trump,” “Donald Trump,” “Clinton” or “Bill Clinton.” An important caveat: These documents do contain redactions that cannot be searched.
DOJ releases more Epstein files
The Department of Justice this morning posted another batch of Epstein files online. The three new tranches of documents are all labeled as being related to the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
