Trump, Clinton, Gates included in new batch of Epstein photos

New photos showing US President Donald Trump, former president Bill Clinton, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and other influential figures with the late convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were released by Democrats in Congress on Friday.

The images, drawn from Epstein's estate, also show Britain's former Prince Andrew, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, film director Woody Allen, entrepreneur Richard Branson, and far-right political strategist and Trump ally Steve Bannon.

The photos show the individuals in conversation with Epstein or posing for the camera. No criminal conduct is apparent in the images themselves.

Trump appears in several of them, including one in which he is standing directly next to Epstein and another in which he is flanked by six woman wearing leis. The women's faces were redacted.

Another image shows a likeness of Trump on condom packaging bearing the slogan "I'm HUUUUGE!" The item is described as a "political satire condom" in an online collection by the National Museum of American History.

A photo of Clinton released by lawmakers shows the former president posing with Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said Democrats on the House Oversight Committee were "selectively releasing cherry-picked photos with random redactions to try and create a false narrative."

The committee, which is looking into Epstein's actions and connections, has released several tranches of images from his estate.

"I have nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein," Trump told reporters last month.

Epstein, a New York financier, moved for years within elite social circles and cultivated ties with powerful figures. Prosecutors say the US multimillionaire ran an abuse network over many years in which dozens of young women and minors were victimized. Epstein himself is accused of sexually abusing women and girls in locations including New York and Florida.

The allegations first reached court around two decades ago, when Epstein pleaded guilty to some charges. Years later, the case was reopened and Epstein was arrested again.

Before a further verdict could be reached, Epstein died in his New York jail cell in 2019 at the age of 66. An autopsy ruled his death a suicide.

Earlier this month, members of the US Congress released photos and videos offering insight into Epstein's private island. The material showed the grounds and interior of the villa on Little Saint James in the Caribbean, where Epstein is alleged to have abused victims.

The newly published images come ahead of a deadline for the publication of investigative files separately held by the Justice Department.

After prolonged pressure on Trump to release the records, the president signed a law last month requiring the department to make files related to the Epstein case public by December 19.