Epstein file with Trump photo vanishes from US govt site

At least 16 files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein disappeared from the US Justice Department's public website within a day of being uploaded, triggering fresh controversy and political sparring in Washington, DC.

The missing documents, which were accessible on Friday but unavailable by Saturday, included photographs and images from Epstein's properties. Among them was a photograph showing United States President Donald Trump alongside Epstein, Melania Trump and Epstein's longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, placed inside a drawer among other pictures, according to US media reports.

Other removed files reportedly included images of paintings depicting nude women and photographs showing pictures arranged on a credenza and inside drawers. The Justice Department has offered no explanation for the removal of the files and did not issue any public notice.

The unexplained disappearance of the documents fuelled speculation online and renewed scrutiny of the government's handling of Epstein-related records.

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee flagged the missing image featuring Trump in a post on X, asking what else may have been concealed and calling for transparency.

The episode has added to concerns surrounding the Justice Department's recent release of tens of thousands of pages linked to Epstein.

The documents yielded little new information about Epstein's crimes or earlier prosecutorial decisions and excluded several closely watched materials, including FBI interviews with victims and internal Justice Department memos on charging decisions.

Epstein died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.  -- Agencies