Democrats on the U.S. House Oversight Committee released a selection of photographs from the estate of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, saying the images document the social circles that surrounded him. The set is drawn from roughly 95,000 photos the estate turned over to the committee; the group made nearly 100 images public on Friday and said more materials will follow.
Among the newly released pictures are images that include former President Donald Trump and former President Bill Clinton. Other figures identified in the batch include Microsoft co‑founder Bill Gates, filmmaker Woody Allen, political figure Steve Bannon, and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers. The committee said the releases are intended to increase transparency and help deliver justice for Epstein’s survivors, and warned that additional photos in its possession are “incredibly disturbing.”
Oversight Committee Democrats stressed that publishing the photos does not amount to an allegation of criminal conduct by those pictured. The committee said it plans further photo releases and will make available documents connected to the sex‑trafficking case linked to Epstein.
Republicans on the committee criticized the move as politically motivated, accusing Democrats of cherry‑picking images to create a narrative about the president and noting that selected snapshots from a very large collection do not prove illicit activity.
The Justice Department and other agencies have previously investigated Epstein and allegations tied to him. Earlier this month the committee released video footage of Epstein’s private island, which prosecutors have cited in filings related to trafficking allegations.
Those shown in the photos have issued public statements denying wrongdoing. Trump’s campaign said the photos of him with Epstein are decades old and do not indicate inappropriate conduct. Clinton’s office has said the former president flew on Epstein’s plane for official and philanthropic business with staff and did not visit any of Epstein’s residences after 2002. Woody Allen has acknowledged meeting Epstein in 2010 and said he was invited to dinner at Epstein’s home that year. Bannon’s photo was noted in the context of a 2019 documentary project he worked on with Epstein, reportedly intended to rehabilitate Epstein’s reputation.
The committee’s release comes amid heightened public attention to materials connected to Epstein’s civil and criminal files. Lawmakers from both parties continue to dispute the timing, scope and motives for publicizing estate materials as ongoing investigations and litigation related to Epstein proceed.