The Epstein files are being released. Here are the most significant details so far.

The wait is partially over. The US Department of Justice has commenced a staggered release of more than "several thousand" pages of investigative records concerning Jeffrey Epstein. 

While the Epstein Files Transparency Act mandated a full disclosure by late December 2025, officials have confirmed that this first tranche is the beginning of a rolling release expected to continue over several weeks.

The partial release has been met with immediate push back from lawmakers.

Senator Jeff Merkley stated that by missing the initial deadline, the administration is "denying justice" to victims, while Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche maintained that the delay is necessary to redact sensitive information, protecting the identities of the victims and their families.

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While the full scale of the investigation is still unfolding, the first release has brought several major revelations to light through a vast collection of photographs and investigative documents.

They provide new insight into Epstein's high-profile social circle.

A significant portion of the photographic evidence is presented without specific details regarding dates or locations, and the identities of numerous individuals have been obscured by heavy redactions.

Here are the biggest revelations from the Epstein files so far.

Hollywood legends. 

The initial release includes thousands of photographs depicting celebrities, musicians, and prominent figures. It is important to note that an individual's presence in these records or images does not serve as evidence of criminal activity or wrongdoing.

For the first time, we see clear photographic evidence of Epstein with Michael Jackson. Other images feature Mick Jagger and actor Chris Tucker. In one photo, Tucker is seen on an airport tarmac with Epstein's convicted associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.

Michael Jackson, Diana Ross and Bill Clinton with several redacted identities. Image: US Department of Justice

Kevin Spacey and Bill Clinton pose beside Ghislaine Maxwell and three other men. Image: US Department of Justice

Image: Mick Jagger and Bill Clinton pose with person whose identity has been redacted. US Department of Justice

Some of the other famous faces that appear in the files include actor Kevin Spacey, musician Diana Ross, and billionaire Richard Branson. 

The Clinton photos. 

Former President Bill Clinton features heavily in this release. 

Photos show him in various relaxed settings, including one lying in a hot tub and another swimming in a pool with Maxwell. In most of the photographs featuring Clinton, he is pictured alongside women whose identities have been obscured through redactions.

Bill Clinton poses with a person whose identity has been redacted. Image: US Department of Justice

A painting of Clinton wearing a dress was also displayed inside the Manhattan home of Jeffrey Epstein, and included in the files.

The painting in question. Image: Getty.

In a statement shared on social media, a spokesperson for Clinton, Angel Ureña, suggested the Trump administration was "shielding themselves from what comes next." 

"They can release as many grainy 20-plus-year-old photos as they want, but this isn't about Bill Clinton. Never has, never will be." 

Bill Clinton swims with Ghislaine Maxwell and a person whose identity has been redacted. Image: US Department of Justice

Royal affiliations. 

One black-and-white photograph shows Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor reclining across several women while a smiling Ghislaine Maxwell stands behind them. The Duke has consistently denied any knowledge of Epstein's criminal activities.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor lies across several people. Image: US Department of Justice

Another image features Sarah Ferguson, the former Duchess of York, alongside an individual whose identity has been redacted.

Sarah Ferguson smiles next to a person whose identity has been redacted. Image: US Department of Justice

Epstein's "baby ranch" proposal. 

Investigative notes and witness statements detail an alleged plan by Epstein to use his New Mexico property as a "baby ranch." The records suggest he intended to impregnate 20 women simultaneously to propagate his DNA. 

These claims are echoed in the posthumous memoir of victim Virginia Giuffre, who alleged she was offered a significant monthly allowance to carry his child and that she "heard him talk hypothetically about seeding the human race with his DNA".

According to Giuffre, Maxwell allegedly detailed how the arrangement would work.

"You'd have around-the-clock nannies to help you. Jeffrey would buy you a mansion in Palm Beach or New York – your choice! – and you would have a hefty allowance."

The missing files.

As the files are released, there are questions being raised about the level of censorship in the documents and the unexplained alleged removal of specific files from the DOJ's public portal.

Shortly after the files were posted, up to 16 images — including one containing a photo of President Donald Trump with Epstein and Maxwell — were reportedly removed from the DOJ website, per the BBC. 

A discrepancy was noted on the Department of Justice's website where the image featuring Donald Trump had been hosted. As of Saturday afternoon, the sequence of files skipped from "EFTA00000467" directly to "EFTA00000469," leaving the previously listed file, "EFTA00000468," conspicuously absent.

On Saturday, Congressional Democrats drew attention to the fact that the image had seemingly been deleted from the public database.

"(Attorney General Pam Bondi) is this true? What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public," House Oversight Committee Democrats alleged in a post on X.

"And if they're taking this down, just imagine how much more they're trying to hide… This could be one of the biggest coverups in American history," Senator Chuck Schumer added in his own allegations on X.

Schumer also dissented against the delayed release of the files. "The law Congress passed and President Trump signed was clear as can be — the Trump administration had 30 days to release ALL the Epstein files, not just some. Failing to do so is breaking the law," he wrote.

Following the widespread criticism, The Department of Justice shared a statement to social media explaining the removal.

"The Southern District of New York flagged an image of President Trump for potential further action to protect victims. Out of an abundance of caution, the Department of Justice temporarily removed the image for further review," the Department of Justice shared on X.

"After the review, it was determined there is no evidence that any Epstein victims are depicted in the photograph, and it has been reposted without any alteration or redaction."

The Southern District of New York flagged an image of President Trump for potential further action to protect victims.

Out of an abundance of caution, the Department of Justice temporarily removed the image for further review. After the review, it was determined there is no…

— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) December 21, 2025

Addressing the deletion of several files, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche claimed it was an attempt to "protect the victims".

"We don't have perfect information," Blanche told NBC News.

"And so when we hear from victims' rights groups about this type of photograph, we pull it down and investigate. We're still investigating that photo. The photo will go back up, and the only question is whether there will be redactions on the photo."

What can we expect from here? 

The Department of Justice is required to submit a comprehensive report to Congress within 15 days of the release.

This report must detail all categories of records disclosed or suppressed, provide a justification for any redactions, and include a formal list of every government official and "politically exposed individual" identified or mentioned within the published files.

As the second tranche of pages is prepared for release, the focus remains on whether future documents will offer more context regarding the decision-making of prosecutors and the full extent of Epstein's network.

Feature Image: Getty.