As the clock ticked toward the 11:59 p.m. deadline set by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the Department of Justice on Friday afternoon reportedly released a large batch of long-awaited documents tied to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, igniting immediate reaction across the political spectrum and online. Among the most prominent figures appearing in the files were former President Bill Clinton and late pop star Michael Jackson.
The document release came as Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche acknowledged earlier Friday that the Justice Department would not fully meet the deadline. Appearing on Fox & Friends, Blanche said the DOJ planned to “release several hundred thousand documents today,” with additional records to follow “over the next couple of weeks.” President Donald Trump signed the Transparency Act into law last month, mandating public disclosure of Epstein-related materials.
While the files were made publicly accessible on the DOJ’s website, technical issues quickly surfaced. MS NOW reported that search functions appeared to be malfunctioning, and users attempting to access the records were met with a notice stating the site was experiencing “extremely high volume of search requests.” Mediaite reported encountering the same message shortly after the documents went live.
🚨 BREAKING: New photo of Bill Clinton swimming with Ghislaine Maxwell and a potential victim and/or minor
Per the Epstein Files Transparency Act, DOJ was specifically instructed only to redact the faces of victims and/or minors
This is pretty damning for Bill Clinton. pic.twitter.com/ShXkEv0Bfm
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) December 19, 2025
Despite those issues, images pulled from the release rapidly spread online. One photograph confirmed by The New York Times shows Michael Jackson standing alongside Epstein. Other images were shared directly by Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson, who highlighted the presence of former President Clinton in multiple photos contained in the DOJ’s trove.
The fact Democrats & legacy media are RADIO SILENT over the Epstein Files after it was revealed Bill Clinton was ROUTINELY hanging out in private with victims is incredibly telling
They don’t give two shts about the victims.
It’s nothing more than a political football for them. pic.twitter.com/i48nDkXp8Q
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) December 20, 2025
One image posted by Jackson shows Clinton with his arm around Jackson, alongside an unidentified woman and several faces that appear to be redacted. Another photo shared by the deputy press secretary depicts Clinton swimming with Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year federal prison sentence for sex trafficking and conspiracy charges, along with one redacted woman. Jackson also posted an image showing Clinton seated next to a redacted individual in a hot tub.
Responding to criticism from liberal media outlets about redactions, Jackson wrote that the DOJ was instructed to redact only the faces of victims and minors. “Are they demanding the identities of victims be revealed?” she asked in a pointed post. Her commentary throughout the afternoon focused heavily on disputes with what she labeled “liberal media” coverage and on scrutiny surrounding the former Democratic president.
Clinton’s team responded forcefully, issuing a statement rejecting any implication that the former president was being protected or had something to hide. “The White House hasn’t been hiding these files for months, only to dump them late on a Friday, to protect Bill Clinton,” a Clinton spokesperson said. “This is about shielding themselves from what comes next, or from what they’ll try to hide forever.”
The statement drew a sharp distinction between individuals who severed ties with Epstein before his crimes became public and those who did not. “There are two types of people here,” the spokesperson said. “The first group knew nothing and cut Epstein off before his crimes came to light. The second group continued relationships with him after. We are in the first.” The statement concluded by saying that “everyone, especially MAGA, expects answers, not scapegoats.”
Meanwhile, criticism also came from Capitol Hill. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, a Democrat from Virginia, accused the Trump administration of being “in violation of the law” for failing to release all the files by the statutory deadline. Appearing on CNN Friday, he said he intends to pursue “every possible legal avenue” over what he views as noncompliance.
As more documents are expected to be released in the coming weeks, the initial drop has already ensured that the Epstein case remains a flashpoint, fueling renewed demands for transparency, accountability, and clarity over who knew what—and when.
[READ MORE: Shapiro Slams Silence on Owens Claims, Takes Aim at Kelly and Carlson at AmericaFest]
