U.S. President Donald Trump has criticised the release of photographs linking former President Bill Clinton to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, calling the move a political distraction by Democrats.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said he disapproved of the focus on the images.
“I don't like the pictures of Bill Clinton being shown. I don't like the pictures of other people being shown. I think it's a terrible thing,” he said.
Trump added that “Bill Clinton is a big boy. He can handle it,” while also noting that photographs of other individuals who “innocently met Jeffrey Epstein years ago, many years ago” are being made public.
"This whole thing with Epstein is a way of trying to deflect from the tremendous success that the Republican Party has,” the U.S. President concluded.
The Justice Department began releasing thousands of pages of records on Friday, 19 December, under the bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act — a law that mandated full public disclosure of previously sealed investigative materials.
Trump, who has signed legislation, has denied any wrongdoing and says he was unaware of Epstein’s criminal activities.
The initial tranche was heavily redacted and incomplete, drawing criticism from both Democrats and some Republicans for failing to meet the law’s deadline and transparency requirements.
Critics pointed to at least 16 files that disappeared from the DOJ’s public webpage within a day of posting, including images showing Trump with Epstein, Melania Trump and Ghislaine Maxwell, which fuelled accusations of selective disclosure and possible political interference.
The DOJ defended the omissions and redactions, saying they were reviewing materials to protect victims, and on 21 December restored one previously removed photo after determining it contained no images of survivors.
Push for full release
Representatives Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna of California, along with other unnamed lawmakers, said they are collaborating on efforts to obtain documents related to investigations of Jeffrey Epstein.
The two lawmakers stated that if necessary, they would seek contempt of Congress charges in the House of Representatives against Attorney General Pam Bondi next month, according to an interview on MS Now.
They added that if their demands were not met following a "30-day grace period," they would push for Congress to impose fines of up to $5,000 per day until the documents are released.
Moweover, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer has said he will seek to hold the DOJ accountable for what lawmakers call “inadequate” disclosure.
Lawmakers have warned that the controversy surrounding the partial release of Epstein files, including the focus on former President Bill Clinton in many of the published photos, could continue to loom over U.S. politics and affect public opinion ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
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