Image source, US House Oversight Committee

Nineteen images from the Epstein estate have been released by House Democrats. They are from a much larger tranche of 95,000 photos being examined by the House Oversight Committee.

This is not the release of the long-awaited Epstein files, due to be released by the justice department by 19 December.

Not all of the images released today are new: the BBC has identified three photos that were previously published by news agencies. That includes a cropped photo of Bill Gates with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor - the uncropped original shows the pair standing with King Charles III, then Prince of Wales.

Depicted in the images are US Presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, actor and director Woody Allen, US economist Larry Summers, lawyer Alan Dershowitz, entrepreneurs Richard Branson and Bill Gates, and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Not all photos show these people in the company of Epstein. The BBC is contacting them for comment.

As a reminder, being depicted in these images does not imply wrongdoing.

In response to the release, House Republicans have criticised the Democrats, accusing them of "cherry-picking photos and making targeted redactions to create a false narrative about President Trump".

Democrats say more images will be released "in the days and weeks ahead".

Image source, House Oversight Committee

Former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers is also among the well-known figures included in the photos released by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee.

Summers can be seen inside a plane with filmmaker Woody Allen sitting beside him.

It's unclear who the jet belonged to. There is no suggestion that these pictures imply any wrongdoing.

Emails previously released from Epstein's estate show Summers communicated with Epstein until the days before Epstein's 2019 arrest for the alleged sex trafficking of minors.

Following the release of the emails, Summers said he would step back from public commitments.

"I am deeply ashamed of my actions and recognise the pain they have caused," he said in a statement to CBS News, the BBC's US partner, last month.

"I take full responsibility for my misguided decision to continue communicating with Mr Epstein", he said at the time.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries says today's release of pictures is part of an effort by Democrats to push for transparency and justice for Epstein's survivors.

"We as Democrats... are going to continue to make sure that we're holding this administration accountable," he says.

Jeffries says his party will push to ensure the US justice department complies with a Congressionally-mandated deadline to release all files related to Epstein by 19 December.

"All we want is full transparency so that the American people can get the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. That's what the Epstein survivors deserve and have demanded and we are going to make sure that the Department of Justice complies," he says.

Also pictured in several of the photographs is US actor and director Woody Allen.

Earlier this year, the New York Times published a letter, external it says was written by Allen, in which he described attending dinners at Epstein's New York townhouse.

In an interview with the Sunday Times in September, external, Allen said he met Epstein at a dinner in 2010, months after Epstein's release from prison. Allen told the paper Epstein said he had been "falsely put in jail in some way" and "was trying to make up for it now by being philanthropic".

As a reminder, there is no suggestion that these pictures imply any wrongdoing and many of those featured in them have denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein. It's unclear where and when the photos were taken or who took them.

Image source, House Oversight Committee

Image source, House Oversight Committee

Image source, HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE

American businessman and philanthropist Bill Gates is also among those pictured in the photos - none of which are with Epstein.

Gates, who co-founded Microsoft, can be seen in two of the 19 photos just released by the Democratic members of the US House Oversight Committee.

As we explained earlier, one is a cropped picture from photo agency Getty, taken at a global summit in 2018. It shows Gates speaking to former prince Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. In the original photo, King Charles is on the right hand side.

The other is Gates standing in front of an aircraft with a man in pilot's clothing.

In a 2021 CNN interview, Gates said that Epstein joined him for "several dinners", with Gates hoping Epstein's contacts could help him raise money for global health causes. “It was a huge mistake to spend time with him, to give him the credibility of being there,” Gates said.

He did not give any timeframe for the meetings, although US media have said they were between 2011 and 2014.

Gates's representatives have previously maintained that there was no business partnership or personal friendship between the pair, and Gates also told the BBC in 2022 that his meeting Epstein was a "mistake".

Image source, US House Oversight Committee Democrats/PA Wire

Thomas Massie, the Republican congressman who pushed for the release of the 'Epstein files', has been speaking to reporters about the images we've been seeing today.

As a reminder, the 19 pictures shared by the US House Oversight Committee are not part of the Epstein files that the Department of Justice has been ordered to release by 19 December.

But Massie says that today's release shows that the bill passed by the US Congress - ordering the justice department to release all its files from its investigation into Epstein - has created political momentum around the issue.

"Contrary to some of the claims about the bill, that it wouldn't have the intended effect or that it would compromise the victim's privacy. What we're seeing now is that the bill's working," he tells reporters.

"I think it's all moving very quickly. It's accelerated toward the end."

Image source, House Oversight Committee

One photo included in the release shows Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, standing with former US President Bill Clinton and two others the BBC has yet to identify.

It appears to have been signed by the former US president.

A spokesperson for Clinton has previously acknowledged that he took four trips with his staff on Epstein's private plane in 2002 and 2003.

US media outlets have reported, citing flight logs, that Clinton travelled on Epstein's plane up to 26 times.

Clinton has denied any wrongdoing in connection to Epstein. In 2019 a spokesperson said the former president "knows nothing about the terrible crimes Jeffrey Epstein pleaded guilty to in Florida some years ago, or those with which he has been recently charged in New York."

Epstein was associated with many well-known figures, and merely being named in files related to the disgraced financier is not an indication of wrongdoing by any of the parties mentioned.

Not all the photos that have been released today by Democrats on the US House Oversight Committee are new.

We are currently working through the images and trying to ascertain which ones have been published before.

A few of the images released today don't feature any people.

One of them shows various sex toys collected in a pile on a carpet. The photo is taken close up, and the context of the room isn't visible.

Another is a close-up image of a tag attached to another sex toy.

A third shows a person's hand wearing a black rubber glove in front of what appears to be several cushions. Again, the image is taken close up and it's not possible to see the rest of the person or the room.

Photos underline Epstein's ties to the rich and powerfulpublished at 16:03 GMT 12 December 2025

16:03 GMT 12 December 2025

Anthony Zurcher
North America correspondent

Congressional Democrats just threw another log on the smouldering fire that is the Jeffrey Epstein story.

The circumstances behind the 19 photographs just released are unclear. At least one, of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, is nothing more than a cropped wire service image.

But the images of Trump – smiling while surrounded by group of lei-wearing young women, hovering over Epstein’s shoulder in a conversation and sitting next to a redacted blonde woman – provide yet another reminder that the president and Epstein once were part of the same social circle.

Other photos - of Trump adviser Steve Bannon, former President Bill Clinton and director Woody Allen, among others - also underline, yet again, Epstein’s ties to the rich and powerful.

When the Democrats published a selection of Epstein emails that mentioned Trump last month, Congressional Republicans responded by releasing a full trove of documents numbering more than 23,000 pages.

According to Democratic Congressman Robert Garcia, the House Oversight Committee has received approximately 95,000 new photos. If Republicans follow a similar strategy after today’s revelations, there could be plenty of material for journalists – and other interested parties – to pick through.

Meanwhile, the 19 December Congressionally-mandated deadline for the justice department to release whatever Epstein files it possesses draws closer.

Image source, House Oversight Committee

Several pictures of former Trump adviser Steve Bannon appear in the latest release of files from the estate of Jeffrey Epstein.

Bannon was one of Trump's closest advisers in the run up to the 2016 election, and in the early days of his first administration. He resigned from the White House in August 2017.

In November the House Oversight Committee released more than 20,000 pages of documents from the Epstein estate.

Among those files were messages exchanged between Epstein and Bannon in 2018, where Bannon said protesters had slowed down his speech at the Oxford Union and he didn't think he'd be able to make his flight.

Epstein replied: "There. Is a gulf air that leaves at 950 with a stop in Bahrain". Bannon replied: "U r an amazing assistant".

November's files release included an iMessage chat in which Bannon's name is redacted. The BBC was able to establish his identity by matching the dates, events and places mentioned.

At the time, Bannon, who is not accused of any wrongdoing, did not reply to the BBC's request for comment.

As a reminder, Epstein was associated with many well-known figures, and merely being named in files related to the disgraced financier is not an indication of wrongdoing by any of the parties mentioned.

Image source, House Oversight Committee

Image source, House Oversight Committee

A spokesperson for the Republican-led Oversight Committee has criticised Democrats for today's release, accusing them of "cherry-picking photos and making targeted redactions to create a false narrative about President Trump".

The statement says: "We received over 95,000 photos and Democrats released just a handful.

"Democrats' hoax against President Trump has been completely debunked. Nothing in the documents we've received shows any wrongdoing.

"It is shameful Rep. Garcia and Democrats continue to put politics above justice for the survivors."

Image source, Getty Images

In a statement published as these files were released, Representative Robert Garcia, the leading Democrat on the committee, says: "It is time to end this White House cover-up and bring justice to the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and his powerful friends.”

Garcia adds: “These disturbing photos raise even more questions about Epstein and his relationships with some of the most powerful men in the world.

"We will not rest until the American people get the truth. The Department of Justice must release all the files, NOW.”

As a reminder, Congress has voted to force the justice department to release all files related to investigations on the convicted sex offender.

President Trump signed it into law, but the documents are yet to be released ahead of a 19 December deadline.

Here's a rundown of people who appear in the 19 photos from Jeffrey Epstein's estate, released by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee.

Epstein does not feature in all of the images, and the fact that people appear in the pictures does not suggest any wrongdoing.

Here's who we've seen:

• US President Donald Trump
• Former US President Bill Clinton
• Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon
• Actor Woody Allen
• US economist Larry Summers
• Lawyer Alan Dershowitz
• British entrepreneur Richard Branson
• Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor
• Entrepreneur Bill Gates

One of the images released is of former prince, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and Bill Gates.

The image appears to be a cropped version of an image taken by a professional photographer, and is available on the photo agency Getty Images.

The fuller image depicts King Charles (then the Prince of Wales), on the right side of the photo.

According to the caption, it was taken during a summit during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting focusing on malaria in London on 18 April 2018.

As a reminder, simply being pictured in the released images does not imply any wrongdoing.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, House Oversight Committee

Donald Trump is seen in three of the 19 released photos, and another photo shows an illustrated likeness of Trump on red packets with a sign reading "Trump Condom".

The photos of Trump include one with him flanked by several women whose faces have been redacted.

Another of him alongside Epstein while talking to model Ingrid Seynhaeve at a 1997 Victoria's Secret party in New York has been publicly available for years.

A third one of Trump shows him next to a woman whose face has also been redacted.

Epstein was associated with many well-known figures, and merely being pictured in files related to the disgraced financier is not an indication of wrongdoing by any of the parties mentioned.

Trump was a friend of Epstein's for years, but the president has said they fell out in about 2004, years before Epstein was first arrested. The US president has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.

Image source, House of Oversight Committee

Image source, House Oversight Committee

Image source, House Oversight Committee

These images - released by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee - are not the Epstein files that the US Department of Justice has been ordered to release by 19 December.

In a statement, Representative Robert Garcia says the committee is looking at "over 95,000 photos" received by Epstein's estate - and adds that more will be released to the public "in the days and weeks ahead".

We're looking through the photos now - US President Donald Trump, Bill Gates and former prince, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, are among those pictured.

There is no suggestion that these pictures imply any wrongdoing and many of those featured in them have denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.

Trump was a friend of Epstein's for years, but the president has said they fell out in about 2004, years before Epstein was first arrested. Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.

Image source, House Oversight Committee

Image source, US House Oversight Committee Democrats/PA Wire

Democrats on the US House Oversight Committee have just released 19 more photographs from the estate of the late convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein.

We're going through the files now - stay with us for updates.