Epstein pictures released showing Trump, Clinton and ex-prince Andrew

Democrats published a new tranche of what they called “disturbing” photographs from the estate of the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein yesterday, featuring among others Donald Trump, Bill Clinton and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

- Richard Luscombe

The 19 photographs, some of which have been seen before, represent a small number of the almost 100,000 images released to the House oversight committee that is looking into the actions and connections of Epstein, the disgraced financier who took his own life in a New York jail cell in 2019 after he was charged with sex trafficking offences.

Among the notable figures shown are celebrities including the film director Woody Allen; the Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates; and Richard Branson of the Virgin empire.

Three of the images feature Trump’s former political adviser Steve Bannon - two with Epstein, and one with Allen in a social setting.

The photographs were released without context or captions, but according to Robert Garcia, the California Democrat and ranking member of the oversight committee, they raise more questions about Epstein’s connections to wealthy individuals.

“It is time to end this White House cover-up and bring justice to the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and his powerful friends,” he said.

“These disturbing photos raise even more questions about Epstein and his relationships with some of the most powerful men in the world. We will not rest until the American people get the truth.”

A bill to release all files held by the US government in relation to Epstein passed the House and Senate last month despite strong pressure from Trump, who has called the investigation a “Democrat hoax”. The justice department has until 19 December to comply. Hundreds of thousands of documents are expected to be released.