Who and what is included in the document?

The U.S. Department of Justice has released early documents related to Jeffrey Epstein.

The documents, which include photos, videos and investigative documents, were highly anticipated after Congress passed a bill requiring the full files to be released by Friday.

But Democrats and some Republican lawmakers have accused the Justice Department of violating its legal obligations after the department said it would not be able to release all the documents by the deadline. Many details in thousands of files have also been significantly redacted.

The first collection of files includes numerous famous faces, including former US President Bill Clinton, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and musicians Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson.

Just because a name appears in a file or a photo is taken does not indicate that there is a mistake. Many of the people identified in the files or in previous releases linked to Epstein have denied any wrongdoing.

Among the images released was former U.S. President Bill Clinton.

One photo shows him swimming in a pool, while another shows him lying with his hands behind his head in what appears to be a hot tub.

Clinton was photographed with Epstein several times throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, before the disgraced financier’s first arrest. He has never been accused of wrongdoing by Epstein abuse survivors and has denied knowledge of his sexual misconduct.

A Clinton spokeswoman commented on the new photo, saying it was decades old.

“They can release as many grainy 20+ pics as they want, but this is not about Bill Clinton. It never has been and never will be,” Angel Ureña wrote on social media.

“There are two types of people here. The first group knew nothing and cut Epstein off before his crimes came to light. The second group continued their relationship with him afterward.

“We are the first. No matter how much those in the second group delay, the situation will not change.

“Everyone, especially MAGA, expects answers, not scapegoats.”

The U.S. president was also mentioned in files released by the Justice Department.

Court documents detail allegations that Epstein introduced a 14-year-old girl to Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

During the alleged meeting in the 1990s, Epstein elbowed Trump and “playfully asked” him about the girl, according to the documents.

Trump smiled, nodded and agreed, according to a lawsuit filed against Epstein’s estate and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2020.

“They both laughed,” the document states, and the girl felt uncomfortable but was “too young at the time to understand why.”

The victim claims she was groomed and abused by Epstein for years.

In her court filing, she made no accusations against Trump.

The BBC has contacted the White House for comment.

The alleged incident is one of very few mentioned against the president in thousands of files released Friday. He can be seen in several photos, but his inclusion is minimal at best.

Trump War Room, the official

A Trump spokesperson also reposted Clinton’s photo, saying, “Oh my god!”

However, there are still pages left to reveal.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said “hundreds of thousands of pages” of documents are still being reviewed and have not yet been made public.

Trump previously said he had been friends with Epstein for several years, but said the two had a falling out around 2004, years before Epstein was first arrested.

Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing regarding Epstein.

The photo included in the released file shows Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, whose face has been edited, lying next to five people.

An image shows Epstein’s co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell standing behind them.

Andrew has been under investigation for years about his past friendship with Epstein, which is not pictured.

He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing involving Epstein and said he “did not see, witness or suspect any conduct that led to his arrest and conviction.”

The newly released documents include the most extensive high-profile coverage ever seen in the release of the Epstein files.

The former financier was known for his connections across entertainment, politics and business.

Some of the images released by the DOJ show stars including Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, and Diana Ross together.

It is unclear when and where the photo was taken, and in what context. It is also unclear whether Epstein was associated with all of these individuals or whether he even attended these events. Previously released photos from Epstein’s estate include photos he did not take at events he did not attend.

Among the published photos, Epstein is pictured with Michael Jackson. The pop idol is wearing a suit and Epstein is wearing a zip-up hoodie.

Another image of Jackson shows him with former US President Bill Clinton and Diana Ross. They are posing together in a small area and several other faces have been edited out of the image.

Another photo among the thousands of files shows Rolling Stones legend Jagger posing for a photo with Clinton and a woman whose face has been edited out. They are all dressed in cocktail attire.

Several photos feature actor Chris Tucker. One shows him posing sitting next to Clinton at a table. Another shows him on a plane tarmac with Ghislaine Maxwell, a convicted associate of Epstein.

The BBC has contacted Jagger, Tucker and Ross for comment. Clinton has previously denied knowledge of Epstein’s sexual misconduct, and a spokeswoman said Friday the photos were decades old.

“This is not about Bill Clinton. It has never been and never will be,” the spokesperson said.

Another photo included in the documents released yesterday shows Ghislaine Maxwell posing in front of 10 Downing Street.

She is alone, and no context is provided with the photo as to why she is there or when the photo was taken.

We do not know who the Prime Minister was at the time the photo was taken, or in what capacity Maxwell visited Downing Street.

One of the first people to report Epstein is included in the file.

Maria Farmer, an artist who worked for Epstein, told the FBI in a 1996 report that he stole personal photos she had taken of her 12-year-old and 16-year-old sisters.

She said in her complaint that she believed he sold the photos to potential buyers and that he threatened to burn down her home if she told anyone.

Her name was redacted from the file, but Farmer confirmed the account was hers.

She noted in her report that Epstein asked her to take pictures of young girls in a swimming pool.

“Epstein is now threatening (redacted) that he will burn down the house if they tell anyone about the photos,” the report said.

Palmer said nearly 30 years later, he feels vindicated.

“I feel imprisoned,” she said.

Among the documents released Friday were many redacted contents, including police statements, investigative reports and photos.

More than 550 pages of the files released on Friday were completely redacted, according to the BBC’s US partner CBS. This includes documents related to the grand jury investigation, with 100 pages completely erased.

As specified in the law, officials could redact the material to protect the identity of the victim or any material related to an ongoing criminal investigation, but the law required that an explanation for such redactions be provided, which has not yet been done.

The thousands of pages released Friday are only a glimpse of what’s to come, according to the Justice Department.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Justice Department plans to release “hundreds of thousands of pages” on Friday and expects “hundreds of thousands more” to be released in the coming weeks.

He told Fox & Friends that the department is thoroughly vetting each page of the material to “ensure that every victim (to the extent that their name, identity, story, etc.) needs to be protected is fully protected.” He insisted it was a time-consuming process.

It was unclear when additional data would be released, and lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties expressed frustration.

Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. Ro Khanna, have threatened action against Justice Department members, including possible impeachment or delayed prosecution.

Khanna joined Republican Rep. Thomas Massie in forcing a vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act, defying US President Donald Trump, who initially urged his party to vote against the bill.

“DOJ’s hundreds of thousands of pages of document dumps failed to comply with the law,” he said on social media, adding in a video that all options are on the table and that he and Massie are mulling it over.