A new set of photos related to the Jeffrey Epstein case has been released, featuring prominent figures such as former U.S. President Donald Trump, former President Bill Clinton, and Microsoft founder Bill Gates. The photos were disclosed by Democratic members of the U.S. House Oversight Committee on Friday (December 12).
Among those pictured are Steve Bannon, former White House Chief Strategist during Trump's first term; former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers; director Woody Allen; Prince Andrew, Duke of York, who has been stripped of his royal titles; and Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson.
Agence France-Presse (AFP) noted that the undated photos do not appear to depict any illegal activity. Similarly, Sky News reported no evidence suggesting misconduct by the individuals featured. However, the House Oversight Committee Democrats who released the photos stated that the "disturbing images raise further questions about Epstein and his connections to some of the world's most powerful people."
When asked about the photos later that evening, Trump responded from the Oval Office, saying he had not yet seen them but dismissed their significance. "I haven’t looked at them, but I mean, everybody knew him," Trump said. "He was in Palm Beach, and he took pictures with everybody. I mean, hundreds and hundreds of people have pictures with him, so it’s no big deal."
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson criticized the Democrats for "selectively releasing carefully curated and altered photos to push a false narrative."
Epstein, who had close ties to numerous high-profile figures in politics and business, was arrested on sex crime charges and died in prison in August 2019, ruled a suicide. In July of this year, the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI released a memo stating there was no credible evidence that Epstein possessed a "client list" for blackmailing influential individuals or that he was murdered. They also confirmed no further Epstein case files would be disclosed.
Recently, Republicans have been divided over whether to support releasing Epstein-related documents. On November 16, Trump reversed his previous stance, urging GOP representatives to vote in favor of disclosure, stating, "We have nothing to hide." Analysts suggest his sudden shift came after several Republican lawmakers indicated willingness to support the release despite party leadership objections. On November 19, Trump announced he had signed legislation requiring the Justice Department to disclose Epstein case files.
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