Bill Clinton 'Chilling' In Hot Tub, Little Mention Of Trump: What We Know About New Epstein Files

Last Updated:December 20, 2025, 10:21 IST

The US Justice Department released nearly 300,000 pages of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after mounting pressure from both Democrats and Republicans.

Former US President Bill Clinton was seen alongside Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell and another woman in the new Epstein files. (DOJ)

The US Department of Justice began releasing long-awaited documents related to the politically explosive investigation into the illegal activities of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, with very little mention of President Donald Trump and much of the focus on former president Bill Clinton.

The first cache of documents contains about 120 photos, mostly depicting FBI evidence boxes and envelopes. They revealed numerous photographs of Clinton, along with musicians Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson, in Epstein’s social circle. However, much of the material remained heavily redacted, causing doubts on whether the latest disclosure will silence conspiracy theories of a high-level cover up.

What Is In The Files?

The department released four groups of documents: court records, disclosures from the DOJ, freedom of information requests and disclosures from a US House oversight committee. The release features numerous photographs not previously made public, and politicians and celebrities are among those pictured.

The files are expected to shed light on the disgraced financier’s connections with high-profile business executives, celebrities, academics and politicians, including Donald Trump. However, the Justice Department has acknowledged that it was still reviewing hundreds of thousands of additional pages for possible release.

What Led To The Disclosure?

The Justice Department released nearly 300,000 pages of documents as it faced a legal deadline on Friday following months of pressure on US President Donald Trump from both outside and within his party, prompting him to sign the Epstein Files Transparency Act into law on November 19 that was overwhelmingly approved by Congress.

The Epstein files had become a sore point for Trump since his return to power, after he had promised during campaigning that he would release the full documents related to the disgraced financier. After taking office, Trump had downplayed the issue as a “Democrat hoax" and delayed the release of the documents, sparking outrage among his core MAGA base.

Many Trump voters had accused his administration of covering up Epstein’s ties to powerful figures and obscuring details surrounding his death in a Manhattan jail, where he was awaiting trial on charges of trafficking and abusing underage girls. The issue has damaged Trump’s political standing ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, when control of Congress is at stake.

High-Profile Figures In Epstein Files

Thousands of images released by the DOJ included those of former President Bill Clinton, along with comedian Chris Tucker and musicians Diana Ross, Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson. Other high-profile figures include former UK Prince Andrew, his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, actor Kevin Spacey and British tycoon Richard Branson.

In another photo, Michael Jackson was seen standing next to Epstein in front of a painting of what appears to be a naked woman. However, these images have failed to uncover evidence that shows Epstein had blackmailed prominent figures.

Featuring in the images that are related to Jeffrey Epstein are not an indication of wrongdoing. Many of those who have been identified in other images or documents have denied wrongdoing or involvement in Epstein’s illegal activities.

Heavy Redactions In Documents

One of the most talked-about points about the new Epstein files was that many files were heavily redacted. Several documents with over 100 pages were entirely blacked out. Many of these documents may not be made public if they relates to an active criminal probe or contain images of abuse.

At least seven pages listing the names of 254 masseuses were blacked out, while another file contained dozens of censored images showing naked or scantily-dressed figures. The US Justice Department acknowledged the redactions in a federal court on Friday, saying they were taking extreme caution to protect Epstein’s victims.

Jay Clayton, US attorney for the Southern District of New York, acknowledged this approach could be called an “over-redaction", arguing that the Justice Department wanted to “err on the side of redacting to protect victims", CNN reported. However, the redactions appear to be inconsistent, as the faces of those blacked out in some images were shown in others.

Extensive Focus On Bill Clinton

The images in the new Epstein documents extensively feature Bill Clinton, after Trump ordered the Justice Department in November to investigate Clinton’s ties to Epstein. In one image, Clinton can be seen in a swimming pool with Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell and another person whose face is blacked out.

A photo released shows former President Bill Clinton with his arm around Jackson, and another showed him with his former top adviser Doug Band and actor Kevin Spacey inside the Cabinet Room of the Churchill War Rooms in London.

In another image, a shirtless Clinton can be seen in a hot tub with what appears to be another person whose face is blacked out. White House officials have been highlighting these images to focus on Clinton’s extensive relationship with Epstein.

“Slick Willy! @BillClinton just chillin, without a care in the world. Little did he know," said White House communications director Steven Cheung on X. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “Oh my!"

A Justice Department spokesperson said the redacted person in one of the widely circulated photos of former President Bill Clinton in a hot tub is “a victim" of Epstein’s sexual abuse. However, Clinton has never been accused by law enforcement of any wrongdoing related to Epstein.

Clinton’s deputy chief of staff, Angel Urena, said the White House was attempting to “shield themselves" from scrutiny by focusing on the Democratic ex-president. “They can release as many grainy 20-plus-year old photos as they want, but this isn’t about Bill Clinton," he wrote.

Little Mention Of Trump

The material released by the Justice Department lacked references to Trump despite their close relationship in the 1990s and 2000s. Trump’s name appeared in flight manifests listing passengers on Epstein’s private plane that were part of a first batch of Epstein material the Justice Department released in February.

There was a single photo of Epstein appearing to hold a check with Trump’s name on it, and a separate photo taken inside Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse where a copy of Trump’s 1997 book, ‘Trump: The Art of the Comeback’, was tucked inside a bookshelf.

Notably, Trump was a friend of Epstein, although he severed ties years before the financier’s 2019 arrest. Trump and several of his family members were also listed in an Epstein contact book, which was made public during the 2021 trial of Ghislaine Maxwell.

(with inputs from agencies)

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