In a move that has reignited scrutiny over former financier Jeffrey Epstein’s vast photographic archive, the House Oversight Committee released 68 images Thursday—just one day before the Justice Department’s Friday deadline under the newly enacted Epstein Files Transparency Act.
A Glimpse into the Trove
The committee’s latest tranche of photos is part of a larger collection that the Epstein estate has turned over to the House. Roughly 95,000 photographs were submitted, and the committee says it has already examined about 75 % of them. The 68 images released on Thursday feature Epstein alongside a roster of well‑known figures, including former President Donald Trump, former President Bill Clinton, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, Microsoft co‑founder Bill Gates, film director Woody Allen, and political strategist Steve Bannon. None of these individuals have been charged in connection with Epstein’s crimes, and all have denied any wrongdoing.
The photos also include a Getty‑Images wire image that had been publicly available before the committee’s release, as well as photographs that appear to depict Epstein’s properties, travel documents, and quotes from Vladimir Nabokov’s novel Lolita scrawled on women’s body parts.
Committee’s Review Process and Survivor Concerns
Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the Oversight panel, emphasized the committee’s commitment to protecting survivors. “We’re having conversations about the best way to deal with those [sexual] photos and talking to the lawyers and the survivor groups because we want to be very cautious of the trauma that the survivors are going through,” Garcia told reporters on the Capitol steps.
Garcia also noted that the estate did not provide context for any of the 95,000 images, meaning the committee is presenting them exactly as received. “We will never release information about women or survivors in any of the files,” he added.
Rep. Dave Min echoed this priority. “We’ve had discussions with the survivors about trying to respect their privacy to avoid triggering them,” Min said. He added that the process of redacting photos and checking in with survivors is part of why the release has been delayed.
Legal Backdrop and the DOJ Deadline
The new law—passed by Congress on Nov. 18 and signed by Trump the following day—requires the Justice Department to produce all files stemming from its investigation into Epstein within 30 days. The files must be posted online and in a searchable database for the public.
The Thursday release came just before the Friday deadline when the DOJ will be forced to comply. Garcia expressed skepticism that the department will fully meet the requirement. “If we look at past behavior, I’m not sure that’s going to happen. We may get a partial release. We may get highly redacted information that doesn’t tell us much,” he said.
Rep. Ro Khanna, who co‑authored the law, told NBC News earlier this week that he expects all but perhaps 5 % of the documents to be made public by Friday’s end. The DOJ has not yet announced its plans for the deadline.
If the department drags its feet, Garcia and Khanna warned that Democrats could take the administration to court. “They have to release everything. We will use every tool available to us, including if we need to go to the courts and if we need to take legal action to get the files released,” Garcia said.
Reactions and Future Steps
The White House has accused Garcia and the Democrats of releasing “cherry‑picked photos with random redactions to try to create a false narrative” aimed at damaging Trump. Trump has repeatedly said he kicked Epstein out of his Mar‑a‑Lago club after learning the financier was hiring female employees from the club’s spa. There is no evidence that Trump engaged in illegal activity with Epstein, and he has never been charged in relation to Epstein’s crimes.
The committee’s plan moving forward is to continue reviewing the remaining photos and documents. Garcia said, “We think that transparency is the absolute best approach. And so we will continue to release photos, documents, emails, whatever we can release from some of the financial records.” He reiterated that no information about women or survivors will be released.
The latest tranche of 68 photos, combined with the earlier release of 19 images that included Epstein with Trump, Clinton, Maxwell, Gates, Allen, and Bannon, keeps pressure on the DOJ as the critical deadline approaches.
Key Takeaways
- The House Oversight Committee has reviewed about 75 % of the 95,000 photographs from the Epstein estate and released 68 images on Thursday.
- The photos feature Epstein with high‑profile figures such as Trump, Clinton, Gates, Allen, and Bannon, none of whom have been charged.
- The Justice Department faces a Friday deadline under the Epstein Files Transparency Act to release all files; Democrats warn they may need to seek court action if the DOJ delays.
The release underscores the ongoing effort to bring transparency to the Epstein investigation while safeguarding the privacy and trauma of survivors. As the DOJ’s deadline looms, all eyes remain on whether the department will comply with the law and make the remaining files public.
