Bill Clinton has been dragged back into the political firestorm over the release of files linked to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein after President Donald Trump said the release of photos linking prominent figures to Epstein was unfairly tarnishing his reputation.
Speaking at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Donald Trump said Bill Clinton – who has appeared frequently in the newly released materials – was able to handle the renewed scrutiny, even as he criticized the Justice Department’s disclosure process for fueling anger and political fallout.
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“No, I don’t like the pictures of Bill Clinton that are being shown. I don’t like the pictures of other people. I think it’s a terrible thing. I think Bill Clinton is a big guy, he can handle it,” Trump told reporters.
What did Trump say about the Epstein photos?
Asked if he was surprised by the number of images of Bill Clinton contained in the newly released Epstein files, US President Trump criticized the way the photos were circulated without context.
“There are a lot of people who are upset about some of the people in the photos.
Trump argued that being photographed with Epstein did not constitute wrongdoing and said the reputation had been unfairly damaged.
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“People who really had nothing to do with Epstein, but they’re in the picture with him because he was at the party, and you’re going to ruin someone’s reputation,” Trump said. “So a lot of people are very upset that this is going on.
Why are the Epstein files being released now?
The controversy follows the US Justice Department’s decision last Friday to release thousands of pages of documents related to the federal investigation into sex offender Jeffery Epstein. The material includes photographs, telephone records and investigative notes.
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However, much of the information released was heavily redacted and did not include the full set of documents in the government’s possession. Lawmakers from both parties accused the department of failing to comply with a bipartisan law mandating the release.
The Justice Department said the scope of the material made it impossible to meet the December 19 congressional deadline and promised more releases in the coming weeks.
Why did the release of the Epstein Files anger both sides?
This undated photo from the personal collection of Jeffrey Epstein, provided by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee on Dec. 12, 2025, shows U.S. President Donald Trump (L), flanked by Epstein (C), talking to an unidentified woman. Democratic lawmakers on Friday released a new photo collection from the estate of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein that includes images of US President Donald Trump and former President Bill Clinton, as well as former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, former Clinton Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, director Woody Allen and the former prince now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.(AFP)
The gradual revelation drew rare criticism from both sides. Some Democrats and Republicans said the limited disclosure encouraged speculation rather than transparency.
Critics also accused the administration of trying to protect Trump, who had a documented social relationship with Epstein before the two men split in the mid-2000s. Trump signed the Epstein legislation only after sustained pressure from congressional Republicans who initially opposed it.
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US President Trump rejected the claims, saying the controversy was being used to undermine him politically.
“But that’s what the Democrats — mostly Democrats and a few bad Republicans — are asking for,” Trump said. “So they also give you pictures of themselves with me in them. Everyone was friendly with the guy, either friendly or hostile, but he was around.”
How did Bill Clinton react?
Angel Urena, a spokesman for Bill Clinton, said in a statement: “The White House did not hide these files for months, only to leak them late Friday to protect Bill Clinton.”
“It’s about protecting themselves from what comes next, or what they’re going to try and hide forever. So they can release as many grainy 20-plus-year-old photos as they want, but this is not about Bill Clinton. It never, ever will be. Even Susie Wiles said Donald Trump was wrong about Bill Clinton,” he added.
A Clinton spokesman criticized the release of the Epstein Files and questioned the Justice Department’s motives.
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“Failure to do so will confirm the widespread suspicion that the Justice Department’s actions to date are not about transparency, but innuendo — the use of selective discharges to suggest the wrongdoing of people who have already been repeatedly cleared by the same Justice Department,” Angel Ureña said in a statement.
Bill Clinton has previously denied involvement in Epstein’s criminal activity and has not been charged with any wrongdoing.
Is it a political fallout for Donald Trump?
Former US President Bill Clinton stands with Jeffrey Epstein in this picture released by the Department of Justice in Washington, DC, US on December 19, 2025 as part of a new series of documents from its investigation into the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. US Department of Justice(via REUTERS)
The dispute exposed divisions within Donald Trump’s own political base. The filing has increased political pressure on the president ahead of the midterm elections.
Donald Trump said some Republicans were furious that the issue was being used to distract from what he described as his administration’s achievements.
“A lot of Republicans are upset about the fact that this is just being used to bounce back from a huge success,” he said.
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He also attacked Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, calling him “a real lowlife” and a “loser” for working with Democrats on the legislation.
What next step are US lawmakers threatening?
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and a woman are seen in this photo from the estate of late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein released by the Department of Justice in Washington, DC, U.S., December 19, 2025. U.S. Department of Justice(via REUTERS)
Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna and Massie, sponsors of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, have threatened to hold Attorney General Pam Bondi in contempt of Congress.
“The quickest way, and I think the quickest way, to get justice for these victims is to bring Pam Bondi innate contempt,” Massie said during a joint interview with Khanna on CBS’s Face the Nation.
Survivors of Epstein’s abuse also condemned the partial disclosure, saying in a joint statement that not releasing all the files broke the law and undermined justice.
