It looks like the Department of Justice has finally caught up to Winnie the Pooh...and Piglet too.
There's been much hype surrounding the release of the Epstein files, and while it's important to note that names appearing or someone being snapped alongside the shamed financier isn't an allusion to guilt, some big names have had their ties to him called into question.
Congress overwhelmingly voted in favor of releasing the full Epstein files after the Trump administration was accused of dragging its feet, meaning it looked like the President of the United States was left with no other choice but to unleash them onto the world.
While the latest deluge of photographs includes everyone from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to Michael Jackson, Chris Rock to former President Bill Clinton, there has been the typical backlash against what the Department of Justice is and isn't showing us.
Advert
Notably, many of the photographs feature people whose identities are obscured, which is apparently to protect the identity of potential victims and non-accused individuals as legal proceedings continue.
Still, after CBS News reported that over 550 pages of the thousands released were completely blacked out, there are yet more complaints that the White House is keeping us in the dark.
If conspiracy theories about Epstein's death in 2019 weren't enough to deal with, the DoJ has also batted off allegations after files about the case were removed from its site.
At least 16 files supposedly vanished after previously being available, with one featuring President Donald Trump that was alongside others on a desk of photographs.
The Justice Department didn't immediately explain what was going on, but posting on X, reiterated: "Photos and other materials will continue being reviewed and redacted consistent with the law in an abundance of caution as we receive additional information."
The Associated Press refers to reams of missing FBI interviews with survivors, as well as internal Justice Department memos examining, and complaints that major names like the former Prince Andrew are hardly referenced.
Notably, there are swirling questions about why the Justice Department abandoned its investigation in the 2000s, as well as the new inclusion of an unseen 1996 complaint that accused Epstein of stealing photographs of children.
In terms of the blink-and-you'll-miss-them files, the image of Trump has since been reinstated. Posting on X, the DoJ linked to the snapshot and wrote: "Out of an abundance of caution, the Department of Justice temporarily removed the image for further review.
“After the review, it was determined there is no evidence that any Epstein victims are depicted in the photograph, and it has been reposted without any alteration or redaction."
Elsewhere, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has defended the temporary removal, while clarifying that further mentions of the POTUS won’t be redacted.
Telling NBC’s "Meet the Press" how agency lawyers had been scouring “about a million or so pages of documents" to redact anything relating to victims, he added: "We are not redacting information around President Trump."
Discussing the infamous Trump desk photo, Blanche stated: "It has nothing to do with President Trump. The absurdity of pulling down a single photo because of President Trump is laughable.”
Instead, he pointed the finger of blame at a New York judge who "ordered us to listen to any victim or victims' rights group if they have concerns," and said this was the reason some files have been removed.
Even though the Trump photograph has been restored to the groaning Epstein files, this is far from the end of the controversy.
Lawmakers have accused the Trump administration of failing to meet the 30-day deadline that was set out by Congress, while some have threatened Attorney General Pam Bondi with legal action for not hitting the crucial time limit.