Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche pledges full disclosure of all Trump references in the Epstein files, insisting the administration has ‘nothing to hide’ as scrutiny intensifies over the document release. WikiMedia Commons

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has given his strongest assurance yet that every mention and photograph of President Donald Trump in the Jeffrey Epstein files will be made public, declaring the administration has 'nothing to hide' amid mounting scrutiny over the controversial document release.

In a Sunday appearance on NBC's Meet the Press, Blanche addressed growing criticism over the Department of Justice's handling of files linked to the convicted sex offender, which has sparked bipartisan outrage and accusations of selective transparency. The deputy attorney general's comments come after 16 files, including photos featuring the president, mysteriously vanished from the DOJ website just one day after their initial release.

'I Have Nothing to Hide'

'Yes, yes, I've said it three, four times now, we've said it before, and President Trump has said it repeatedly since before he was elected,' Blanche told host Kristen Welker when pressed on whether every Trump-related file would be released.

The controversy deepened on Saturday when multiple news outlets confirmed that 16 files from Friday's release had been removed from the Justice Department's Epstein Library website. One of the deleted files included a photograph of a tabletop displaying framed pictures of Epstein with famous figures, whilst an open drawer below contained two printed photographs of Trump—one showing him surrounded by women in bathing suits, and another depicting Trump with Melania, Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell.

Blanche insisted the removal had 'nothing to do' with the president and came at the request of victim advocacy groups. 'We don't have perfect information,' Blanche explained. 'And so when we hear from victims-rights groups about this type of photograph, we pull it down and investigate. We're still investigating that photo. The photo will go back up, and the only question is whether there will be redactions on the photo.'

The deputy attorney general stressed that Trump's appearance in the Epstein files does not suggest any involvement in criminal activity. 'Let me just make sure everybody understands something, to the extent that he is, quote, "in the Epstein files", it's not because he had anything to do with the horrific crimes, full stop,' Blanche stated.

Lawmakers Threaten Legal Action Over 'Grossly' Inadequate Release

The Trump administration faces fierce criticism from both sides of the political aisle over its handling of the Epstein files, which were mandated for release under the Epstein Files Transparency Act signed by Trump in November. The legislation gave the DOJ a 30-day deadline—until 19 December—to release all unclassified records related to Epstein investigations.

Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican who co-authored the transparency bill alongside California Democrat Ro Khanna, blasted the administration's compliance. 'Unfortunately, today's document release by @AGPamBondi and @DAGToddBlanche grossly fails to comply with both the spirit and the letter of the law that @realDonaldTrump signed just 30 days ago,' Massie wrote on X on Friday.

Khanna expressed similar disappointment, calling the initial release 'disappointing' and demanding Attorney General Pam Bondi and Blanche provide a clear timeline for complete disclosure. Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Dick Durbin went further, promising to 'investigate this violation of law and make sure the American people know about it'.

According to NBC News analysis, more than 680 pages of the released documents were entirely redacted, including a 119-page grand jury document and three consecutive documents totalling 255 pages—each page completely blacked out.

'Several Hundred Thousand' More Documents Promised

Blanche defended the redactions as necessary to protect victims and witnesses, explaining that the department was working to ensure compliance with legal protections. He told Fox News that the DOJ would release 'several hundred thousand' documents, with 'several hundred thousand more' expected 'over the next couple weeks'.

Despite the Trump administration's promises, the incomplete release has fuelled accusations of selective transparency. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee questioned why the image featuring Trump's photograph went missing, posting on X: 'What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public.'

Why This Matters

The Epstein files release represents one of the most significant transparency efforts in recent legal history, with potential ramifications for numerous high-profile figures. The handling of these documents will likely influence public trust in the Justice Department's independence and the administration's commitment to accountability, particularly given Trump's previous relationship with Epstein and his initial resistance to the transparency legislation before ultimately signing it into law. The bipartisan criticism suggests growing impatience with partial disclosures and redactions that some lawmakers believe exceed legal requirements for victim protection.

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