House Democrats Release 19 Epstein Photos, Claim Sexual Acts; Trump Denies Wrongdoing

In a move that has reignited debate over the Epstein scandal, House Democrats released 19 photographs from a vault that contains some 95,000 images, saying the pictures depict “people engaged in sexual acts.”

The release came after Representative Suhas Subramanyam (D‑Va.) confirmed the claim on CNN’s “The Arena with Kasie Hunt” on Friday. When asked if men other than Epstein were involved, Subramanyam said lawmakers were “going through that.” He added that the committee had previously tried to release all files and was now being selective: “The last time when there was a big production [of photos], what we tried to do was release all the files eventually,” he said. “We’re trying to be selective about what we release now. And so in this case, we’re not really quite sure yet who is who.” He concluded, “Certainly, there is a lot of people involved in some of these acts.”

The 19 photos, chosen from the 95,000, show Epstein standing beside a number of high‑profile figures, including President Trump, former President Clinton, attorney Alan Dershowitz, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Virgin founder Richard Branson, filmmaker Woody Allen, former Trump adviser Steve Bannon and Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew. In one image, Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell appears with him next to Clinton. Another photograph displays a stack of condoms, each with a cartoon image of Trump and the words “I’m HUUUUGE!” on the packaging.

The images also feature women whose faces are covered with black boxes to prevent identification. The release of the photos comes days before the Department of Justice’s deadline to hand over all of its files and information on Epstein. Congress had passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act last month, and President Trump signed the bill into law despite urging Republicans to avoid engagement with any material related to Epstein.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein and has accused Democrats of leading a “witch hunt” by “selectively” releasing photos that highlight his ties to the disgraced financier. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson responded to the release with a statement sent to NewsNation, saying: “Once again, House Democrats are selectively releasing cherry‑picked photos with random redactions to try and create a false narrative,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement previously sent to NewsNation. “Here’s the reality: Democrats like [Virgin Islands Del.] Stacey Plaskett and [House Minority Leader] Hakeem Jeffries were soliciting money and meetings from Epstein AFTER he was a convicted sex offender.” Jeffries has denied any interactions with Epstein.

Trump and Epstein reportedly knew each other while in New York, where they were known to socialize. Trump has since said Epstein tried to steal employees from his Florida resort Mar‑a‑Lago and had Epstein banned.

The release of the photo cache, coupled with the looming DOJ deadline, has intensified scrutiny of how much information will ultimately be made public. The 19 images are only a fraction of the total, and the committee’s statement that it is “not really quite sure yet who is who” suggests further vetting is underway.

Key Takeaways

• House Democrats released 19 out of 95,000 Epstein photos, showing high‑profile figures and alleged sexual acts.
• Rep. Subramanyam confirmed the photos depict “people engaged in sexual acts” and said the committee is still identifying subjects.
• Trump denies wrongdoing, while the White House accuses Democrats of cherry‑picking images to create a false narrative.

In summary, the 19 photographs add new detail to the long‑running Epstein investigation, while political responses underscore the polarized debate over the release of the material and the broader transparency effort mandated by Congress.