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.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of a deadly drone strike on a Türkiye-owned cargo ship in the Black Sea, killing it...
Regional powers gathered in Moscow on Monday for talks on Afghanistan, focusing on security, economic cooperation and Kabul’s relations with ...
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan held talks in Tehran on Monday on bilateral ties and efforts t...
Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned, with Hamid Bovard, chief executive of the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), appointed as acting oil minister, according to Iranian state media.
Right-wing Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro will face leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a runoff of the presidential election later this month, after he exceeded expectations in Sunday's first-round vote with a slight lead over the incumbent.
Candidates elected to Bosnia and Herzegovina's three-member presidency declared victory after preliminary unofficial results showed Denis Becirovic leading the Bosniak seat, Darijana Filipovic ahead in the Croat seat and Zeljka Cvijanovic likely retaining the Serb seat.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States meets seven conditions agreed under a June memorandum, as President Donald Trump signals he may soon decide whether to resume military operations against Tehran.
Uzbekistan’s grape exports have grown rapidly. In January-August 2025, the country exported 86,200 tonnes of fresh grapes worth $78.3 million to 19 countries but can it turn these crops into a recognisable international product?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of a deadly drone strike on a Türkiye-owned cargo ship in the Black Sea, killing its captain and endangering a civilian crew that included Azerbaijani and Indian nationals.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 5 October 2026. These are the top five elections making headlines around the world.
The United States has withdrawn all 12 of its B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in Britain, just a week after several people were arrested over an alleged plot targeting the air base.
Australian counterterrorism authorities are examining the links of the co-pilot accused of attacking the captain and attempting to take control of a flydubai flight bound for Israel. Authorities in New Zealand have also said they are investigating reports the suspect had spent time in that country.
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Monday called a snap election for 29 November in a bid to strengthen his mandate after a fragmented parliament rejected the government's key housing decrees last week amid widespread protests.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment