Several photos of U.S. President Donald Trump with the late Jeffrey Epstein, who was convicted on charges of child sexual exploitation and died, have been released. The photos include images of President Trump photographed with multiple women.
According to U.S. media including the Washington Post (WP), Democratic members of the House Committee on Oversight on the 12th released 19 photos that include Epstein, President Trump, and several famous figures.
Earlier, the oversight committee secured more than 95,000 photos from Epstein's residence and released a portion of them.
In the photos released that day, President Trump is talking with a woman next to Epstein. There is also a photo of President Trump standing with six people whose faces are obscured. One photo shows a sign selling "Trump Condoms" for $4.50.
In addition to President Trump, the newly released photos also feature former President Bill Clinton, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and film director Woody Allen.
However, the photos do not have shooting dates. As a result, there is no information to determine the context, such as the locations, WP reported.
Immediately after the photos were released, President Trump said, "Everyone knew Epstein, he was all over Palm Beach and took pictures with hundreds of people," adding, "It's no big deal." The White House Spokesperson said, "Democrats are selectively releasing photos," and "the Trump administration has done more for victims, including urging further investigations into Epstein and his Democratic acquaintances."
Epstein, a billionaire and former hedge fund manager, was arrested on charges of committing sex crimes against numerous women, including dozens of minors, at his home and vacation properties, and died by suicide in prison in 2019.
Since then, conspiracy theories have repeatedly surfaced, including claims that there is a list of powerful figures in politics and government connected to him. President Trump has insisted he did not know of Epstein's crimes and had no connection, but after even his ardent supporters demanded the release of materials, he signed the Epstein Records Release Act passed by Congress in Nov.
Under the law, the Department of Justice must release the materials by the 19th. However, because the law has exceptions, it is possible not all materials will be released.