Several files have vanished from the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) online portal where it posted materials tied to the federal investigations into Jeffrey Epstein—prompting House Democrats on the Oversight Committee to question why the records were removed.
The Associated Press reported that 16 files were no longer available as of Saturday afternoon, disappearing from the original five batches of documents the DOJ uploaded for public review under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
In a statement to Newsweek on Saturday, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said: “The Trump Administration is the most transparent in history. By releasing thousands of pages of documents, cooperating with the House Oversight Committee’s subpoena request, and President Trump recently calling for further investigations into Epstein’s Democrat friends, the Trump Administration has done more for the victims than Democrats ever have.”
She added: “And while President Trump is delivering on his promises, Democrats like Hakeem Jeffries and Stacey Plaskett have yet to explain why they were soliciting money and meetings from Epstein after he was a convicted sex offender. The American people deserve answers.”
Why It Matters
Representatives Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, and Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, co-sponsored legislation requiring the DOJ to fully release files related to the federal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, declined to bring the measure to the floor, pushing Khanna and Massie to pursue a discharge petition. That process would allow a floor vote after obtaining 218 signatures—an effort that moved forward once the government shutdown ended in mid-November.
After the bill passed with near-unanimous support, the DOJ was legally required to release all files by December 19. The department released only a portion, saying more time was needed to complete redactions to protect victims and minors and to avoid jeopardizing any ongoing investigations—exceptions permitted under the law.
What To Know
On Saturday, House Democrats and media outlets noted that some of the newly released Epstein files were no longer accessible on the DOJ website—though members of the public had an opportunity to download them before they disappeared.
Among the missing items were images of paintings depicting nude women. The most high-profile removal, Democrats said, was a photo showing a drawer containing additional photos, including one with Trump alongside Epstein, first lady Melania Trump, and Ghislaine Maxwell.
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee highlighted the missing photo, posting it on X and asking why file 468 had been removed.
“[AG Pam Bondi] Is this true? What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public,” the OversightDems X account wrote.
As of Saturday, the DOJ had not issued a public explanation or notice about the missing files, including whether their removal was intentional.
The partial release has fueled broader concerns about transparency. Critics said the tens of thousands of pages posted Friday offered limited new insight into Epstein’s crimes or the prosecutorial decisions that allowed him to avoid serious charges for years. The release also reportedly did not include materials such as FBI interviews with victims or internal memoranda related to charging decisions.
Khanna said Friday that lawmakers were already weighing articles of impeachment against Attorney General Pam Bondi over the department’s failure to release all files by the deadline.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche had previously warned that only some materials would be released at first because redactions were needed to protect victims and minors.
“There’s a lot of eyes looking at these, and we want to make sure that when we do produce the materials we are producing, that we are protecting every single victim,” Blanche told Fox & Friends.
What People Are Saying
The U.S. Department of Justice wrote on X on Saturday: “Photos and other materials will continue being reviewed and redacted consistent with the law in an abundance of caution as we receive additional information.”
Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, wrote on X on Friday: “Attorney General Pam Bondi is withholding specific documents that the law required her to release by today.”
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, wrote on X on Friday: “The whole point was NOT to protect the ‘politically exposed individuals and government officials.’ That’s exactly what MAGA has always wanted, that’s what drain the swamp actually means. It means expose them all, the rich powerful elites who are corrupt and commit crimes, NOT redact their names and protect them.”
Representative Summer Lee, a Pennsylvania Democrat, wrote on X on Saturday: “Most transparent admin in history? These redactions are an absolute mockery of the survivors of Epstein’s abuse and the American people. The DOJ is still compelled by our subpoena to release the full, unredacted files to the Oversight Committee. This cover up must end.”
