WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice (DOJ) has restored a controversial photograph to its public archive of Jeffrey Epstein documents after briefly removing the image, which appears to show Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on the financier’s private Caribbean island.
The removal of the photo—originally released in late January under the Epstein Files Transparency Act—sparked immediate backlash from lawmakers and transparency advocates. The image, authenticated by multiple news outlets and archived by third-party sites like jmail, depicts Lutnick and Epstein alongside three other men on a cliffside at Little St. James.
A Questionable Defense: The ‘Nudity’ Redaction Claim
The DOJ, led by Attorney General Pam Bondi, initially pulled the file (labeled EFTA01230639) without explanation. Following inquiries, a DOJ official claimed the image was caught in a “batch of files that had been flagged for nudity.”
“The batch of thousands of images was pulled for review and is being uploaded with necessary redactions on a rolling basis,” the official stated, adding that “no files are being deleted.”
However, the photograph shows all five men fully clothed in casual summer attire—baggy shorts and button-down shirts—raising questions about the legitimacy of the “nudity” flag. Notably, the restored version of the photo contains no new redactions, appearing identical to the version that was briefly scrubbed.
Contradicting the Narrative
The emergence of the photo has renewed scrutiny of Lutnick’s past statements regarding his relationship with Epstein. The 64-year-old billionaire has previously attempted to distance himself from the convicted trafficker.
Past Claims: In an October 2025 podcast appearance, Lutnick claimed he met Epstein only once in 2005 and cut all ties the following year.
Documentary Evidence: DOJ files revealed that the two exchanged emails for over a decade, discussing business ventures as late as 2018.
The 2012 Visit: Lutnick recently admitted to a Senate subcommittee that he visited Little St. James in 2012, though he characterized it as a brief “family lunch” during a vacation with his wife, children, and nannies.
A spokesperson for the Commerce Department maintained that Lutnick had “limited interactions” with Epstein and has never been accused of any wrongdoing.
DOJ Under Fire for ‘Burn Books’ and Surveillance
The photo controversy arrives amid broader allegations that the DOJ is obstructing congressional oversight of the Epstein files. Earlier this month, Attorney General Bondi was photographed at a House hearing holding a “burn book” binder that appeared to contain the private search histories of lawmakers, including Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), who were reviewing unredacted Epstein documents.
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Oversight Committee, called the DOJ’s actions a “blatant violation of the separation of powers,” accusing the department of “secretly tracking” members of Congress to protect the administration’s allies.
What’s Next
While President Trump has publicly defended Lutnick, calling him a “very innocent guy,” bipartisan pressure for further testimony is mounting. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) and Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) have both called for Lutnick to face additional questioning before the House Oversight Committee to clarify the full extent of his ties to the Epstein estate.
