President Donald Trump made his first public comments on December 22, 2025, regarding the ongoing release of investigative files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, cautioning that the publication of photos and documents could unjustly harm the reputations of individuals who had only casual or innocent interactions with him years ago.
Speaking to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump described the renewed scrutiny surrounding Epstein as a political distraction. "This whole thing with Epstein is a way of trying to deflect from the tremendous success that the Republican Party has," he said, framing the issue as an attempt to undermine his administration's achievements.
The comments came days after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) began a partial release of Epstein-related materials on December 19, 2025, pursuant to the Epstein Files Transparency Act—a bipartisan law passed by Congress in November 2025 and signed by Trump. The legislation mandated the disclosure of all unclassified investigative records by December 19, but the DOJ has released documents on a rolling basis, drawing criticism for heavy redactions and incomplete compliance.
Trump expressed particular discomfort with photos featuring former President Bill Clinton, who appeared prominently in the initial batch, including images alongside Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. "I like Bill Clinton. I’ve always gotten along with Bill Clinton. I hate to see photos come out of him," Trump stated. He added, "I think Bill Clinton’s a big boy, he can handle it," while noting Clinton has never been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein's crimes.
Acknowledging his own past association with Epstein—a longtime Palm Beach socialite whom Trump claims to have banned from Mar-a-Lago in the early 2000s after a falling out—Trump said: "There’s photos of me too. Everybody was friendly with this guy." He emphasized that mere photographs do not imply culpability: "But they’re in a picture with him because he was at a party, and you ruin a reputation of somebody... You probably have pictures being exposed of other people that innocently met Jeffrey Epstein years ago, many years ago, and they’re highly respected bankers and lawyers and others."
Trump described the exposure of such images as "a terrible thing," warning that it could unfairly tarnish individuals with no involvement in Epstein's criminal activities. "A lot of people are very angry that this continues," he noted, suggesting the releases were politically motivated.
The DOJ's initial tranche included thousands of pages—phone logs, court records, and hundreds of photos—many already public or heavily redacted to protect victims. Subsequent batches have followed, but controversies arose over temporarily removed files, including one showing a photo of Trump among others in Epstein's home. The DOJ attributed removals to reviews for victim privacy, denying any effort to redact mentions of the president.
Epstein, a financier with extensive elite connections, died by suicide in a New York jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. His official cause of death was ruled suicide, though it has fueled conspiracy theories. No evidence from the released files has implicated Trump in Epstein's crimes; Clinton and others similarly deny wrongdoing.
The releases have reignited debates over transparency, victim protection, and political weaponization. Critics, including some Republicans and Democrats, accuse the DOJ of slow-walking disclosures, while survivors and lawmakers demand full compliance. Trump has previously downplayed his Epstein ties, stating they socialized in the 1990s and 2000s but severed contact after Epstein's behavior became problematic.
As the DOJ continues phased releases amid legal scrutiny, Trump's remarks highlight concerns that historical associations—common among Epstein's wide network—could lead to unwarranted reputational harm without proof of misconduct.
