House Democrats have dropped a fresh batch of photos from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate, and the images are already fueling a wave of new questions about who exactly moved inside the disgraced financier’s circle.
The 19 photos — pulled from a massive collection of 95,000 images taken from Epstein’s email and devices — show him connected to a long list of influential public figures. Among them: Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Steve Bannon, Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Larry Summers, Alan Dershowitz, and others.
None of the images show crimes or sexual misconduct, and Democrats redacted women’s faces, saying they wanted to protect potential victims. Still, the photos reopen a story that refuses to fade.
What’s in the new batch?
The pictures range from casual social moments to odd artifacts:
• Trump surrounded by women with redacted faces
• A novelty bowl of “Trump condoms” labeled “I’m HUUUUGE!”
• Steve Bannon snapping a mirror selfie with Epstein
• Bill Clinton posing with Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and others
• Gates standing with former Prince Andrew
• Sex toys found among Epstein’s possessions
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee say the photos came directly from the estate’s production of records. They also emphasized that they’ve reviewed only a fraction of what exists — roughly a quarter so far — and more releases are coming.
Why Democrats released them now
Their goal, they say, is to pressure the Justice Department ahead of a December 19 deadline. A new law requires the DOJ to release all Epstein-related files, with some redactions for survivors’ privacy.
Rep. Robert Garcia, the committee’s top Democrat, says the public deserves full transparency.
“These disturbing photos raise even more questions about Epstein and his relationships with some of the most powerful men in the world.”
Garcia insists more images will be released in the coming days.
Republicans push back
Oversight Committee Republicans accuse Democrats of deliberately “cherry-picking” photos to smear Trump.
Their argument goes like this:
• Democrats had access to over 95,000 photos
• Only 19 were released
• Nothing in the documents shows wrongdoing by Trump
They also say the entire spectacle is more political than factual.
Public trust is already low
A new Reuters–Ipsos poll suggests the public is ahead of lawmakers in one area: suspicion.
• 70% believe the government still hides key information about Epstein’s network
• 62% of Republicans feel the same
• Only 23% approve of Trump’s handling of the scandal
• But Republican support for Trump’s actions has climbed since last month
The bigger picture
The photos add to a drumbeat of documents already released — emails, communications, personal records — much of which shows Epstein referencing Trump, sometimes gossiping, sometimes positioning himself as someone with unique access.
Several men shown in the new photos have distanced themselves from Epstein over the years:
• Clinton says he cut ties long before Epstein’s 2019 arrest and denies knowing about the crimes
• Gates has repeatedly said meeting with Epstein was a “huge mistake”
• Summers lost major roles after his past connection resurfaced
• Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor relinquished his royal titles
None of the men in the new images have been accused of criminal wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.
What happens next
The DOJ faces a hard deadline: December 19. Under the new law, failing to release the files could carry criminal consequences.
Democrats say the White House should release whatever can be released immediately. Garcia added that some photos the committee chose not to make public are “incredibly disturbing.”
Expect more photos, more internal documents, and more explosive political fighting as the deadline approaches.
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