Donald Trump addressed the newly released Epstein files at a press conference on Monday, telling reporters it was “terrible” and that he hated seeing photos of Bill Clinton.
The Department of Justice was required to release all files related to disgraced pedophile Jeffrey Epstein by midnight on Friday, December 19.
About 300,000 pages of files linked to Epstein were released, under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, and they included hundreds of photos.
Highlights
- Donald Trump called the release of Epstein files 'terrible' and expressed dislike for photos showing Bill Clinton.
- About 300,000 pages of Epstein-related documents were released, many heavily redacted, with more expected soon.
- Clinton’s team demands full disclosure, accusing the DOJ of protecting hidden interests with selective file releases.
Donald Trump said he hates seeing photos of Bill Clinton
Image credits: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
Former President Clinton was in some of those images, with one photograph showing him swimming in a pool with Ghislaine Maxwell and another showing him with a woman whose face was blacked out.
“I think it’s terrible,” Trump told reporters. “I like Bill Clinton. I’ve always gotten along with Bill Clinton. I’ve been nice to him, he’s been nice to me.
“I hate to see photos come out of him, but this is what the Democrats, mostly Democrats and a couple of bad Republicans, are asking for.”
“Everybody was friendly with this guy [Epstein], either friendly or not friendly. He was all over Palm Beach and other places ... and Bill Clinton was a friend of his, but everybody was.”
Image credits: DOJ
Trump argued that the disclosures swept up a wide range of people who had encountered Epstein in passing, such as at a party.
“No, I don’t like the pictures of Bill Clinton being shown, I don’t like the pictures of other people being shown, I think it’s a terrible thing,” he said.
Trump added, “Bill Clinton’s a big boy. He can handle it, but you probably have pictures being exposed of other people that innocently met Jeffrey Epstein years ago.”
The president also hit out at Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, who co-sponsored the bill to release the files with Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, and said the files were a distraction.
“This whole thing with Epstein is a way to try to deflect from the tremendous success of the Republican Party,” Trump said.
He added, “I thought that was finished, a lot of people are very angry that this continues.”
The files released on Friday are not anywhere close to the total number of records the public has been told to expect.
The DOJ is expected to continue releasing additional batches in the coming weeks, though many of the documents already released have been heavily redacted.
Many of the files released were heavily redacted
Image credits: DOJ
Clinton’s spokesperson, Angel Ureña, released a statement from the former president calling for the full release of the files, and any pertaining to Clinton.
“What the Department of Justice has released so far, and the manner in which it did so, makes one thing clear: someone or something is being protected,” the statement read.
“We do not know whom, what or why. But we do know this: We need no such protection.”
It further called on Trump to order Attorney General Pam Bondi to “release any remaining materials referring to mentioning or containing a photograph of Bill Clinton.”
Massie and Khanna have said they are drafting “inherent contempt” charges targeting Bondi, including daily fines, to compel the DOJ to release the remaining unredacted files and meet the law’s transparency mandate.
“I think the most expeditious way to get justice for these victims is to bring inherent contempt against Pam Bondi,” Massie told CBS’ Face the Nation on Sunday. “Basically, Ro Khanna and I are talking about and drafting that right now.”
“I believe we're going to get bipartisan support in holding her accountable,” Khanna added.
The DOJ released more files Tuesday, revealing that Trump and Epstein were on a flight together with a 20-year-old woman.