More than a dozen files vanished from the US Justice Department’s public webpage hosting documents related to Jeffrey Epstein within a day of their release, with the government offering no explanation or public notice for their removal.
The files, which were accessible on Friday but missing by Saturday, reportedly included images of paintings depicting nude women, and one showing a series of photographs along a credenza and in drawers.
One of those images, found inside a drawer, allegedly showed President Donald Trump with Epstein, Melania Trump and Epstein’s close associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
The Justice Department has not clarified whether the files were taken down deliberately or why they were removed, and officials did not respond immediately to requests for comment, AFP reported.
The unexplained disappearance sparked speculation online about what was removed and the reasons behind it, adding to the longstanding public scrutiny surrounding Epstein and his connections with influential figures.
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee drew attention to the missing image that included Trump’s photograph and questioned on social media: "What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public."
The development also intensified criticism of the Justice Department’s highly anticipated document release, which had already drawn disappointment.
While tens of thousands of pages were made public, they reportedly revealed little new information about Epstein’s crimes or the prosecutorial choices that allowed him to avoid serious federal charges for years, and excluded some of the most sought-after materials, such as FBI interviews with victims and internal Justice Department records on charging decisions.