President Donald Trump made no mention of the explosive release of thousands of documents related to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein during a rally in North Carolina on Friday night. The event, focused on economic achievements, was overshadowed by growing outrage over his administration's decision to heavily redact the newly public evidence.
Massive Document Dump Met with Immediate Criticism
The US Department of Justice published over 300,000 pages of evidence connected to the Epstein case, including images featuring former President Bill Clinton, the late singer Michael Jackson, and Epstein's associate Ghislaine Maxwell. However, a significant number of files remain sealed, and the released pages contained extensive blacked-out sections.
The scale of the redactions prompted immediate backlash from both sides of the political aisle. High-profile figures, including CNN anchor Jake Tapper, were seen scrolling through hundreds of obscured pages. The members of Congress who had pushed for the release, Republican Thomas Massie and Democrat Ro Khanna, declared the effort insufficient.
Democrat Ro Khanna went so far as to suggest impeachment could be considered for Attorney General Pam Bondi, while Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez demanded her resignation. Khanna stated the document dump 'failed to comply with the law'.
Victims and Lawmakers Express Deep Frustration
Dissatisfaction was not limited to Democrats. Republicans Nancy Mace and Marjorie Taylor Greene also voiced their displeasure. Greene labelled the redactions 'not MAGA', claiming the incomplete release left some Republicans 'raging and walking away'.
At least six of Epstein's victims have spoken out, expressing profound disappointment with the limited transparency. Marina Lacerda, who claims she was assaulted by Epstein from the age of 14, pleaded for full disclosure. 'Just put out the files,' she said. 'And stop redacting names that don't need to be redacted.'
Another early victim, Jess Michaels, told The New York Times the release proved their long-held claims about corruption and delayed justice, asking, 'What are they protecting? The coverup continues.'
Clinton Photos Highlight Release as Trump Link Minimised
The trove of documents included several photos from Epstein's properties, notably images of Bill Clinton relaxing in a hot tub and on a plane with an unidentified woman. A spokesman for Clinton accused the Justice Department of 'shielding' President Trump and 'stalling' the full release.
In contrast, Donald Trump was allegedly mentioned only once in the files, in a claim that Epstein introduced him to a 14-year-old girl at Mar-a-Lago. Trump has consistently stated he banned Epstein from his Florida resort in 2007 after learning of his misconduct.
The administration defended the redactions, with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche insisting they were 'required by law' to protect victims and that 'no redactions of famous people' were made. Meanwhile, senior Trump officials took to social media to comment on the Clinton photos, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt exclaiming 'Oh my!' on X.
The documents stem from three investigations into Epstein's crimes, and the Justice Department has promised additional materials will be released before year's end. With more than 600,000 pages now public this year, the Trump administration has described itself as the 'most transparent in history', a claim fiercely contested by victims and politicians demanding complete accountability.
