Washington, 22 December (H.S.): The U.S. Department of Justice sparked bipartisan outrage after abruptly removing at least 13 photographs from its Jeffrey Epstein files webpage less than 24 hours after their Friday release, only to restore a controversial image featuring President Donald Trump following victim protection reviews.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche dismissed accusations of presidential favoritism during an NBC's Meet the Press interview on Sunday, asserting the removals stemmed solely from concerns raised by victims and advocacy groups. A New York judge's directive compelled the DOJ to heed such objections, Blanche explained, noting that the Trump photo—depicting him alongside Epstein, Melania Trump, and Ghislaine Maxwell amid a credenza drawer of snapshots—contained unredacted images of women potentially linked to Epstein's abuse network.

House Oversight Committee Democrats amplified suspicions via social media, reposting the missing Trump image and interrogating Attorney General Pam Bondi: What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public. The Southern District of New York flagged the photo for scrutiny out of an abundance of caution, the DOJ clarified on X Sunday, confirming post-review that no Epstein victims appeared in it before reposting without alterations by early that day.

The 13 vanished files, part of thousands mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act's Friday deadline, included ten images of a massage parlor adorned with cloud-painted ceilings, nude-patterned wallpaper, and partially redacted women's faces—some visible across multiples despite inconsistencies in blurring. Other removals featured framed photos atop Epstein's desk, artworks of nude women, and investigative artifacts like cassettes, fueling claims of selective concealment.

Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, a key Epstein files release proponent, voiced frustration on CBS's Face the Nation, announcing plans to draft inherent contempt charges against Bondi for flouting the law's spirit and letter. He vowed persistence until survivors achieve satisfaction, joined by California Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna in bipartisan accountability efforts, though Sen. Tim Kaine deemed impeachment premature.

Blanche labeled cover-up suggestions laughable, highlighting dozens of prior public Trump-Epstein photos and the DOJ's commitment to redacting only victim-identifying material before reinstatement. The episode underscores mounting pressure on the Trump administration amid the partial dump's redactions, which omitted FBI survivor interviews and internal charging memos despite public clamor for unvarnished insight into Epstein's elite ties.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar