The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has released more than 300,000 pages of records from its investigations into the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The files, released on Friday local time, included several photos of former Democratic US president Bill Clinton, which could conflict with DOJ policy not to release material related to ongoing investigations.
US President Donald Trump, a Republican, has ordered the DOJ to investigate Clinton's ties to Epstein, in what critics viewed as an effort to shift the focus away from his own relationship with Epstein.
Other images feature Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger and former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
But the files appeared to include few if any photos of Trump or documents mentioning him, despite Trump and Epstein's well-publicised friendship in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Reuters is reviewing the files.
Former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor laying across the laps of several people. Ghislaine Maxwell stands behind them. Source: US justice department
Trump's name appeared in flight manifests listing passengers on Epstein's private plane that were part of a first batch of Epstein material the DOJ released in February.
In one image, Clinton can be seen in a swimming pool with Epstein's partner and co-defendant, Ghislaine Maxwell, and another person whose face is blocked out.
Mick Jagger with Bill Clinton and a woman whose identity is redacted. Source: US justice department
Clinton's deputy chief of staff, Angel Urena, said in a statement that the White House was attempting to "shield themselves" from scrutiny by focusing on the former president.
"They can release as many grainy 20-plus-year old photos as they want, but this isn't about Bill Clinton," he wrote.
Clinton has previously expressed regret for socialising with Epstein and has said he was not aware of any criminal activity.
Bill Clinton and Ghislaine Maxwell in a swimming pool with another person whose identity is redacted. Source: US justice department
It was not immediately clear how substantive the new materials were, given that many Epstein-related documents have previously been made public since his 2019 death in jail, which was ruled a suicide.
Reuters is reviewing the latest release.
Bill Clinton in a hot tub with another person whose identity has been redacted. Source: US justice department
Trump had initially urged fellow Republicans in Congress to oppose the new law, warning that releasing potentially sensitive internal investigative records could set a dangerous precedent.
But many Trump voters accused his administration of covering up Epstein’s ties to powerful figures and obscuring details surrounding his death, which was ruled a suicide, in a Manhattan jail in 2019.
Not all documents released
Deputy attorney general Todd Blanche said the initial batch of documents would be followed by additional releases, leaving open the possibility that Trump could feature more prominently in later disclosures.
Trump ordered the DOJ last month to investigate Clinton's ties to Epstein, in what critics viewed as an effort to shift the focus away from his own relationship with Epstein.
The DOJ added a note to the webpage where it posted links to the documents that said "all reasonable efforts have been made" to redact victims' personal information, but warned that some could be disclosed inadvertently.
In a letter to Congress, Blanche estimated it would take an additional two weeks for the department to review other documents for potential release.
There are more than 1,200 names identified as victims or their relatives in the files, he added.
In a statement on Friday, the White House claimed the release demonstrated its transparency and commitment to justice for Epstein's victims, criticising previous Democratic administrations for not doing the same.
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