Donald Trump has voiced his disapproval of the ongoing release of Jeffrey Epstein files, expressing concern that individuals who "innocently met" Epstein could suffer reputational damage. Speaking at his Mar-a-Lago residence, Trump stated that while he has a good relationship with Bill Clinton, he dislikes seeing photos of the former president emerge in the released documents. He suggested that the release was largely driven by Democrats, though he acknowledged some Republicans were also involved, and noted that he too would have photos released.
Trump asserted that many people were friendly with Epstein, but he believes the publication of photos, particularly of those who had no direct involvement with Epstein's crimes but merely encountered him at parties, is unfair and can ruin reputations. He specifically mentioned Larry Summers, a former Treasury Secretary, as an example of someone whose life has been impacted by revelations of contact with Epstein. Trump also attempted to frame the Epstein file releases as a political tactic to distract from the Republican party's accomplishments.
Meanwhile, Bill Clinton's spokesperson urged the justice department to release all remaining materials pertaining to Clinton, expressing suspicion that selective releases are being used to imply wrongdoing. The Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed into law by Trump, mandated the full release of these files, yet only one batch has been made public so far. Jeffrey Epstein died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.