US lawmakers have released a new batch of photographs showing some of the world’s most powerful political and business figures in the company of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, reigniting public outrage and intensifying demands for full transparency over one of the most notorious abuse scandals in modern US history.

The images, made public on Friday by Democrats in Congress, show US President Donald Trump, former president Bill Clinton, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and other influential figures alongside Epstein, a convicted child sex offender who for years operated within elite social circles. The photographs were obtained from Epstein’s estate and form part of an ongoing congressional investigation into his activities and networks.

Also appearing in the images are Britain’s former Prince Andrew, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, film director Woody Allen, billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson, and far-right political strategist and Trump ally Steve Bannon. The photos generally show the individuals posing for the camera or conversing with Epstein. Lawmakers stressed that no criminal conduct is evident in the images themselves.

Trump appears in several photographs, including one where he is standing directly next to Epstein and another where he is surrounded by six women wearing leis, whose faces were redacted by lawmakers. Another image released shows a novelty condom package bearing Trump’s likeness and the slogan “I’m HUUUUGE!”, described as a “political satire condom” held in an online collection by the National Museum of American History.

A photograph of Clinton released as part of the tranche shows the former president posing with Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who was later convicted on federal charges for helping recruit and traffic underage girls for Epstein.

The White House rejected any implication of wrongdoing. Spokeswoman Abigail Jackson accused Democrats on the House Oversight Committee of attempting to manipulate public perception, saying they were “selectively releasing cherry-picked photos with random redactions to try and create a false narrative.”

The Oversight Committee, however, said the releases are aimed at shedding light on Epstein’s extensive web of connections and the institutional failures that allowed his abuse network to operate for years with apparent impunity. Committee members confirmed that several tranches of material from Epstein’s estate have already been released, with more expected as the investigation continues.

Trump has repeatedly denied having any involvement with Epstein. “I have nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein,” he told reporters last month, reiterating previous statements distancing himself from the disgraced financier.

Epstein, a wealthy New York financier, was accused by prosecutors of running a long-term sex trafficking operation that exploited dozens of girls and young women at properties in New York, Florida and the Caribbean. He first faced criminal charges more than two decades ago, pleading guilty to lesser offenses in a controversial deal that drew widespread criticism. Years later, the case was reopened, and Epstein was arrested again on federal sex trafficking charges.

In 2019, before a verdict could be reached, Epstein was found dead in his jail cell in New York at the age of 66. An official autopsy ruled his death a suicide, though the circumstances have continued to fuel public suspicion and controversy.

Earlier this month, lawmakers also released photos and videos offering a rare look inside Epstein’s private island, Little Saint James, showing the grounds and interior of the villa where many victims allege abuse took place. Survivors’ advocacy groups have welcomed the disclosures but say images alone are not enough, renewing calls for accountability for anyone who enabled or covered up Epstein’s crimes.

The latest photo release comes as scrutiny intensifies ahead of a legally mandated deadline for the US Justice Department to publish investigative files related to the Epstein case. Following prolonged bipartisan pressure, President Trump signed legislation last month requiring the department to make the records public by December 19.

Victims’ advocates and civil liberties groups say the coming disclosures will be a critical test of whether US institutions are prepared to confront the full truth of Epstein’s network — or once again shield powerful figures from accountability. (ILKHA)