The US Department of Justice has released thousands of pages of documents linked to its investigation into the convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Among the newly published material are photographs from Epstein’s properties and social events, including one image that appears to reference President Donald Trump.
The photograph shows Epstein standing beside a woman whose face has been redacted. The pair are holding a large novelty cheque for $22,500 bearing what appears to be Trump’s signature. The image is displayed in a frame marked with the words “Once in a blue moon”.
It is not known when or where the photograph was taken. However, the cheque closely resembles one previously seen in images of a birthday album compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell for Epstein’s 50th birthday. That page also contained a note from a Mar-a-Lago member making a joke about selling a “fully depreciated” woman to Trump for $22,500.
The White House has not commented on the photograph.
The New York Times reported that Trump appears “only a handful of times” in the initial tranche of released documents. It added that one image appears to show a collection of photographs in which he is posing with women.
The disclosure follows a congressional mandate requiring the justice department to release records related to the Epstein investigation. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the release is expected to include several hundred thousand documents, with more material to follow in the coming weeks.
Blanche said prosecutors were withholding documents linked to active investigations and obscuring details to protect victims’ identities, adding that “no new charges” are expected.
The files include numerous photographs showing Epstein with high-profile figures, including former US president Bill Clinton and Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger.
Several previously unseen images involving Clinton attracted particular attention. One appears to show a younger-looking Clinton reclining in a hot tub, partially obscured by a large black rectangle. Another image appears to show him swimming with a dark-haired woman believed to be Epstein’s long-time associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.
Also included are seven pages listing 254 masseuses, with all names fully redacted and labelled as being concealed “to protect potential victim information”. Other documents contain dozens of censored photographs depicting nude or scantily clad figures, as well as images of Epstein and unidentified individuals posing with firearms, with faces obscured.
The White House responded publicly to the appearance of Clinton in the newly released material.
“Slick Willy! @BillClinton just chillin, without a care in the world. Little did he know…” White House communications director Steven Cheung wrote on X.
“Oh my!” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt added.
Democratic leaders criticised both the scope and presentation of the release. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused the administration of shielding the president, calling the partial disclosure “a cover-up to protect Donald Trump from his ugly past”.
