December 22, 2025 | 07:06 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Officials from the U.S. Department of Justice on Sunday denied having edited the Jeffrey Epstein files to protect President Donald Trump, amidst increasing criticism over the partial and heavily censored document release.
The controversy erupted after the Department of Justice released the first batch of documents related to sexual offender Epstein on Friday. This followed a law signed by President Trump requiring the release of federal investigation files.
The release sparked outrage among Epstein's victims and prompted bipartisan scrutiny due to the extensive redactions, blacked-out pages, and censored photos.
As reported by CNA, Epstein, a wealthy businessman who associated with prominent political and cultural figures, died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche rejected claims that the redactions were politically motivated or designed to shield Donald Trump.
Speaking on NBC's Meet the Press, Blanche said, "We are not redacting information around President Trump," adding that no material was withheld due to political sensitivity.
In a separate interview with ABC News, Blanche reiterated that there was no effort to edit out Trump's name or the names of other prominent figures, including Bill Clinton.
"Assuming it's consistent with the law, yes," Blanche said when asked if all documents mentioning Trump will eventually be released.
Blanche explained that the removal of a group photo that included Trump was initially done out of concern for the women depicted.
The Department of Justice later reposted the image without censoring after ensuring that none of Epstein's victims were depicted.
The released documents included photos of Clinton and other public figures, such as Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson. However, Blanche stated that the department was not targeting any individual through selective disclosures.
Democratic lawmakers accused Trump of subverting the law requiring full disclosure.
Congressman Jamie Raskin said the partial disclosure was an attempt to cover up the truth. Meanwhile, Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries demanded a written explanation within 15 days for any withheld documents.
Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, a long-time advocate for full transparency, also criticized the release, calling it "selective concealment" and stating that he would not be satisfied until Epstein's victims are content.
Blanche defended the speed and scope of the release, citing the department's legal obligation to protect the victims.
He said that since the process began, the Department of Justice has identified over 1,200 victims and family members whose identities needed protection, making full disclosure directly impractical.
Some of the released files contained dozens of censored images of naked or minimally dressed individuals, as well as previously unseen photos of Ghislaine Maxwell. Maxwell, Epstein's former girlfriend and accomplice, is serving a 20-year prison sentence for recruiting underage girls.
Blanche also defended the Bureau of Prisons' decision to move Maxwell to a facility with lower security, citing threats to her life and denying that she was receiving preferential treatment.
Read: 16 Jeffrey Epstein Files Vanish from DOJ Website, Sparking Outrage and Speculation
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