A photograph featuring former President Donald Trump has been restored to a public database maintained by the U.S. Department of Justice, which is connected to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In a statement released on Sunday via social media platform X, the department explained that the image was initially taken down "out of an abundance of caution" to check if any victims of Epstein were present. Following an examination that found no such evidence, the photograph was reposted "without any alteration or redaction."
The image depicts a drawer filled with numerous photographs, among them one of Trump taken prior to his presidency, showing him posing with women in bikinis. Trump had a friendship with Epstein at one point, but there is no proof connecting the former president to Epstein's illegal actions.
Epstein, a financier, was known to associate with high-profile individuals in political and business spheres for many years. Authorities allege he operated a network that exploited numerous young women and minors. Epstein faced accusations of sexually abusing women and girls in various locations, including New York and Florida.
In 2019, Epstein was discovered deceased in his New York jail cell while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
Recently, the Justice Department released thousands of heavily censored files to its website, including photographs and documents, after facing significant public and congressional pressure. Some files were later removed, among them the photograph containing Trump.
