Epstein Files Release Could Damage Innocent Reputations, Trump Warns

US President Donald Trump has cautioned that the release of investigative files linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein could unfairly damage the reputations of people who had only casual or innocent encounters with him.

Speaking to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago residence on Monday, Trump made his first public remarks since the US Justice Department began releasing the Epstein files last Friday. He dismissed the renewed controversy as politically motivated, saying:

“This whole thing with Epstein is a way of trying to deflect from the tremendous success that the Republican Party has.”

Asked about former president Bill Clinton, who appeared prominently in the first batch of photos released, Trump expressed sympathy.

“I like Bill Clinton. I’ve always gotten along with Bill Clinton. I hate to see photos come out of him,” he said.

Trump also acknowledged that his own pictures appeared in the files, adding:

“There’s photos of me too. Everybody was friendly with this guy (Epstein).”

He described the publication of such images as a “terrible thing,” though he added:

“Bill Clinton’s a big boy, he can handle it.”

Trump warned that the releases could harm individuals who had no involvement in Epstein’s crimes.

“You probably have pictures being exposed of other people that innocently met Jeffrey Epstein years ago, many years ago, and they’re highly respected bankers and lawyers and others,” he said.

According to the president, many people are upset about being linked to Epstein through photographs alone.

“A lot of people are very angry that pictures are being released of other people that really had nothing to do with Epstein. But they’re in a picture with him because he was at a party and you ruin a reputation of somebody.”

Epstein, a wealthy financier with powerful connections, died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges, in what authorities ruled a suicide.

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