US President Donald Trump strongly criticized the recent release of Jeffrey Epstein files, labeling it as deeply concerning. Trump defended individuals like Bill Clinton and others mentioned in the documents, including famous figures such as Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, and Lord Mandelson, who were featured in the extensive collection of pictures made public online in recent days.
Despite being named in the files, Trump maintained that many of these celebrities had innocent encounters with Epstein over the years. Epstein, a convicted child sex offender, preyed on underage girls as young as 14.
In response to the file disclosure, Trump stated that the focus on Epstein was an attempt to divert attention from the accomplishments of the Republican Party. He expressed his positive relationship with Bill Clinton, emphasizing that Clinton, being a public figure, could handle any scrutiny regarding his past interactions with Epstein.
According to reports from the Daily Mail, Trump primarily blamed Congressional Democrats for driving the release of the files. He acknowledged Epstein’s widespread connections during the 1990s and 2000s.
The release of the data followed remarks by US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who highlighted the importance of releasing additional documents to protect Epstein’s victims. These documents are expected to be made public in the upcoming weeks.
The US Department of Justice was legally bound to disclose all files related to the Epstein investigation by midnight on Friday under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Epstein, a convicted sex offender facing charges of sex trafficking, was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell in August 2019, with his death officially ruled a suicide.
An investigation revealed that both guards responsible for monitoring Epstein had fallen asleep during their shift and falsified records. The situation was worsened by malfunctioning or broken cameras in the detention area.