The US Justice Department released redacted Epstein documents, extensively mentioning Bill Clinton but with scant reference to Donald Trump.
WASHINGTON: The US Justice Department released thousands of heavily redacted documents related to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein on Friday.
The files made extensive reference to former President Bill Clinton but contained scant mention of President Donald Trump.
This absence is notable given Trump’s name has appeared in previous document releases, such as flight manifests for Epstein’s plane.
The partial release complies with a law passed by Congress mandating full disclosure of Epstein files.
It was not immediately clear how substantive the new materials were, as many documents have been public since Epstein’s 2019 jail death.
Many files were heavily redacted, with some 100-page documents entirely blacked out.
The Justice Department acknowledged it is still reviewing hundreds of thousands of additional pages.
The material included evidence from several investigations and photos of Clinton.
They appeared to include few, if any, photos of Trump or documents mentioning him.
Trump and Epstein were publicly friendly in the 1990s before a falling out prior to Epstein’s 2008 conviction.
Trump has not been accused of wrongdoing and has denied knowing about Epstein’s crimes.
The Justice Department sought to draw attention to Clinton on social media.
Clinton’s deputy chief of staff, Angel Urena, said the White House was attempting to “shield themselves” from scrutiny.
“They can release as many grainy 20-plus-year old photos as they want, but this isn’t about Bill Clinton,” he wrote.
Trump ordered an investigation into Clinton’s ties to Epstein last month.
One released image shows Clinton in a swimming pool with Ghislaine Maxwell and another person.
Clinton has previously expressed regret for socializing with Epstein.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said over 1,200 victims’ names must be redacted.
The White House claimed the release demonstrated its transparency and commitment to justice.
Its statement ignored that Congress forced the administration’s hand.
Some lawmakers immediately criticised the administration for failing to release all files.
Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called it “just a fraction of the whole body of evidence.”
Republican Representative Thomas Massie said the release “grossly fails to comply with both the spirit and the letter of the law.”
The disclosure law required internal reports and emails, which did not appear in Friday’s release.
The law allows withholding victim information and material jeopardising active investigations.
Many Trump voters have accused his administration of covering up Epstein’s ties to powerful figures.
Just 44% of Republicans approve of Trump’s handling of the Epstein issue, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found.
Last month, House Democrats released emails including one where Epstein wrote Trump “knew about the girls.”
Trump accused Democrats of promoting the “Epstein Hoax” as a distraction.
House Republicans released an email saying Trump visited Epstein’s house but “never got a massage.”
Previous disclosures show Epstein corresponded with high-profile figures after his 2008 conviction.
These include Steve Bannon, Larry Summers, Peter Thiel, and Britain’s Prince Andrew.
JPMorgan paid some of Epstein’s victims RM1.36 billion in 2023 to settle claims.
