Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche addressed the disappearance of several Jeffrey Epstein-related documents this weekend, saying the Department of Justice removed the documents following concerns from victims.
The DOJ began releasing the files related to the disgraced financier on Friday, creating the “Epstein Library” in response to the newly signed Epstein Files Transparency Act. But by Saturday night, the DOJ had scrubbed 16 of the published files, including one that featured photos of President Donald Trump. Blanche responded to concerns over the deletion in an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday morning.
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“There were a number of photographs that were pulled down after being released on Friday. That’s because a judge in New York has ordered us to listen to any victim or victim rights group if they have any concerns about the material that we’re putting up,” Blanche said.
Of the removed files, several included pictures of female nude paintings and a drawer that held several photographs, including a picture of Epstein with President Donald Trump, Melania Trump, and Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Blanche said the DOJ is “in every way, shape, and form complying with” the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
“When we hear concerns, whether it’s photographs of women that we do not believe are victims or we didn’t have information to show that they were victims but we learned that there are concerns, of course, we’re taking that photograph down and we’re going to address it. If we need to redact faces or other information, we will, and then we’ll put it back up,” Blanche said.
Blanche did not specify exactly which photographs were of concern.
The deputy attorney general insisted that “there is nothing that he has to hide in the Epstein files. There never was,” referring to Trump, adding that “repeated attempts by Democrats to paint him as being part of the Epstein saga” are consistently failing.
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When NBC’s Kristen Welker asked Blanche if there was any redacted information about Trump in the released or to-be-released files, he said, “No, not unless it’s supposed to be redacted under the law, which means victim information or any sort of privilege, like attorney-client privilege.”
“But I have no reason to believe that the lawyers that were working on this case were talking about President Trump because he had nothing to do with the Epstein files,” Blanche continued. “He had nothing to do with the horrific crimes that Mr. Epstein committed.”
