US President Donald Trump on Monday criticised the release of photographs from the newly publicised Jeffrey Epstein files, saying the release could unfairly tarnish the reputations of people photographed with the late financier. Speaking at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Trump claimed the files were released as part of a coordinated attempt to distract from his achievements in office.
The remarks marked Trump’s first direct response since the Department of Justice (DOJ), under his administration, began releasing a vast trove of Epstein-related documents on Friday. The move followed a new law overwhelmingly approved by Congress, backed by every Republican but one—which Trump himself signed last month.
Although the Trump administration initially indicated it had no plans to release further Epstein documents after a comprehensive review, the new legislation compelled a full release of unclassified records, photos, and related investigative files.
“A lot of people are very angry that pictures are being released of other people that really had nothing to do with Epstein. But they’re in a picture with him because he was at a party, and you ruined a reputation of somebody,” Trump said. During an event in the library at Mar-a-Lago, his Palm Beach club he claims to have distanced himself from the sex offender from in the early 2000s.
He added that the backlash was growing not only among affected individuals but also within the Republican Party. “A lot of people are very angry this continues. A lot of Republicans,” Trump said, contending that the entire issue was being used to “deflect against a tremendous success” of his administration.
Trump has consistently sought to distance himself from Epstein, emphasising that their relationship soured more than two decades ago. He reiterated on Monday that he had banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago in the early 2000s.
He expressed discomfort seeing photos of other prominent figures in the files, particularly former US President Bill Clinton. One of the most circulated images from the DOJ’s release shows Clinton reclining in a hot tub, his face relaxed, beside an unidentified and redacted companion.
“I hate to see so many pictures of Bill Clinton in there,” Trump said, adding, “I think Bill Clinton’s a big boy. He can handle it.”
Clinton’s office responded ahead of Trump’s remarks, urging the Justice Department to release all remaining materials involving the former president to dispel suspicion of selective disclosure.
“Refusal to do so will confirm the widespread suspicion the Department of Justice’s actions to date are not about transparency, but about insinuation – using selective releases to imply wrongdoing about individuals who have already been repeatedly cleared by the very same Department of Justice, over many years, under Presidents and Attorneys General of both parties,” said Clinton’s spokesperson Angel Ureña in a statement posted to X.
The DOJ’s handling of the Epstein document release has drawn criticism from both Congress and advocates for the sex offender’s victims. While the law mandates a full public release of unclassified materials, the department only issued an initial batch on the Friday deadline.
Lawmakers from both parties deemed the partial release of Epstein files unacceptable, and some have threatened legal action to enforce compliance. Survivors, meanwhile, have said the documents appear incomplete and heavily redacted.
Justice Department officials maintain that additional releases will follow, with redactions made to safeguard victims’ privacy. Trump, for his part, dismissed any concern about photos of himself in the document cache, describing them as relics of “a different time.”