The US Department of Justice (DoJ) has restored a photograph from the recently released Jeffrey Epstein files after it was briefly removed from its website, triggering strong criticism online. The image showed two photographs of former US President Donald Trump placed on a desk or credenza believed to belong to Epstein.

In one photograph, Trump was seen standing with a group of women. In the other, he appeared alongside his wife Melania Trump, Jeffrey Epstein, and Epstein’s former associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who has since been convicted for her role in Epstein’s crimes. The same image also showed photographs of Epstein with former US President Bill Clinton and Pope John Paul II.

The DoJ said the image was temporarily taken down after the Southern District of New York raised concerns that it might reveal the identities of Epstein’s victims. However, after reviewing the image, the department confirmed that no victims were visible in the photograph. Following public backlash, the image was restored without any changes.

In a post on social media platform X, the DoJ explained that the decision to remove the image was made “out of an abundance of caution” and that it was reposted once officials confirmed that it did not violate any laws meant to protect victims.

Reports also said that at least 16 other files from the Epstein document release were removed from the website. Many of these files reportedly showed explicit artwork, photos of mail slots filled with envelopes, a tiled hallway, and a notebook page listing names and apartment numbers.

The move drew sharp criticism from Democratic leaders, who accused Donald Trump of trying to block the full release of Epstein-related files. Democratic Congressman Jamie Raskin claimed the actions were part of an effort to hide information that could be damaging to Trump or people close to him.

Interestingly, Republican Congressman Thomas Massie also criticised the partial release. He said the government was not following both the spirit and the letter of the law and insisted that survivors’ satisfaction should be the top priority. Massie also alleged that a 60-count indictment involving well-known individuals had not been released.

Responding to the criticism, the DoJ clarified that redactions in the Epstein documents are being made only to protect victims and not to shield politicians. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said that names are redacted only when legally required.

The document release comes after federal judges approved the unsealing of grand jury materials linked to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. However, officials confirmed that only a portion of the total records has been released so far, as reviewing the remaining files is a lengthy process.