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Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Paul Lee] Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the Justice Department’s decision to remove certain images — including a photo featuring President Donald Trump — from the initial release of the Epstein Files, saying the action was taken to protect potential victims rather than for political reasons.
Under the Epstein Files Transparency Act signed into law in November 2025, the Department of Justice is required to publish records related to its investigations into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein by December 19. However, only a partial release was made on schedule, and at least 16 items, including a file containing an image showing Trump alongside Epstein and others, were temporarily removed from the department’s public database shortly after publication.
In interviews, Blanche emphasized that the removals were prompted by concerns raised about sensitive content and the potential for identifying victims or survivors, and that files would be further reviewed and reissued with redactions as appropriate. He argued that these decisions were made to ensure compliance with legal protections for victims and were not driven by efforts to shield any individual from scrutiny.
Blanche reiterated that all relevant material referenced in the files — including content mentioning President Trump — would ultimately be released in line with the statutory requirements, but that careful review was necessary to safeguard privacy and comply with
알파경제 Paul Lee 특파원(hoondork1977@alphabiz.co.kr)
