Democrat slams US justice department’s release of Epstein files: ‘we are witnessing a full-blown coverup’ – live

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Epstein files 'absolve me', says Trump

Last night Donald Trump addressed the latest release of Epstein files for the first time, telling reporters he’d been told it cleared him of allegations about his links with Jeffrey Epstein.

Speaking aboard Air Force One as he flew to Florida, the president said:

I didn’t see it myself but I was told by some very important people that not only does it absolve me, it’s the opposite of what people were hoping, you know, the radical left.

You can watch the clip here.

Trump speaks with reporters aboard Air Force One as he travelled to West Palm Beach on Saturday night. Photograph: Mark Schiefelbein/AP

'We are witnessing a full-blown coverup': Democrats demanding access to unredacted files, says Raskin

Democratic representative Jamie Raskin, of Maryland, has slammed the Department of Justice’s release of the Epstein files as “a full-blown cover-up”.

Asked on CNN this morning whether Democrats were going to see to the unredacted files, Raskin said, “Absolutely.”

We sent them a letter and so we’re demanding a right to do it. I hope the Department of Justice will keep its word and let us in there.

A reminder that US deputy attorney general Todd Blanche said on Friday that every woman’s image had been redacted, adding that if any members of Congress wanted to see the unredacted material they should contact the DOJ so that could be arranged.

Raskin went on:

Remember, they’ve said there are six million potentially responsive documents there. They’ve only released three million with more than 10,000 redactions. So we have to go look at those redactions. They’ve not sent us the explanation yet for those redactions. But then what about the other 3 million files?

Because we are witnessing a full blown cover up. Remember, not only is there a subpoena to attorney general [Pam] Bondi to turn everything over to Congress now; there’s a federal law compelling them to turn it over, and yet we’re just getting the dribs and drabs of information coming out of this stuff that they want us to see.

To the suggestion that three million files was not “nothing”, Raskin added:

Well it’s close to nothing when they’re deciding which documents are coming out and there’s a federal law and a subpoena compelling them to just turn everything over to Congress.

And they said that they had done this process many months ago, and there’s nothing to see there.

Richard Branson told Epstein 'bring your harem' and gave him PR advice, emails suggest

Also in the newly-released files, British billionaire Richard Branson told Jeffrey Epstein that he would love to see him again “as long as your bring your harem”.

In an email exchange from September 2013, Epstein also asked for Branson’s “thoughts” on a “public relations” matter, apparently after a visit to him the previous day.

A reminder that being mentioned in the documents is not an indication of wrongdoing.

In an email on 11 September 2013, Branson, the founder of the Virgin Group, wrote to Epstein, “It was really nice seeing you yesterday.” He added:

Any time you’re in the area would love to see you. As long as you bring your harem!

A representative for Virgin group told the New York Times that Branson had sent the email shortly after hosting Epstein at a group business meeting on the private island Branson owns in the British Virgin Islands. Epstein arrived at the meeting with three adult women, whom he referred to as his “harem”, who did not attend the meeting, the representative said in a statement. It goes on:

Any contact Richard and Joan Branson had with Epstein took place on only a few occasions more than 12 years ago, and was limited to group or business settings. Richard believes that Epstein’s actions were abhorrent and supports the right to justice for his many victims.

Back to the email exchange, Branson then turned to the public relations matter, advising Epstein:

I think if Bill Gates was willing to say that you’ve been a brilliant advisor to him, that you slipped up many years ago by sleeping with a 17 1/2 year old woman and were punished for it, that you’ve more than learnt your lesson and have done nothing that’s against the law since and, yes, as a single man you seem to have a penchant for women. But there’s nothing wrong with that. Anyway something along those lines.

Epstein is said, by Branson’s team, to have mentioned that he had served time in prison for a consensual relationship with someone who was nearly 18, and asked for Branson’s public relations advice on the matter, according to Sky News.

In a statement to the outlet, a Virgin Group spokesperson said that “had [Branson] had the full picture and information, there would have been no contact whatsoever [with Epstein].”

Richard Branson and Jeffrey Epstein in a photo released by the US DOJ in December 2025. Photograph: US Department of Justice/PA

Brett Ratner, director of Melania Trump film, pictured with Epstein

The director of Melania Trump’s new Amazon film, Brett Ratner, appears in multiple pictures with Jeffrey Epstein in images released by the US Department of Justice on Friday.

One picture shows Ratner sitting on a couch with his arms wrapped around a woman whose face is redacted. Next to that woman is Epstein, and another woman, whose face is also obscured (you can see the picture – DSCO1 41 6.JPG – in this collection of images).

It is not known where or when the photos were taken, or who took them. Appearing in the photos is not an indication of any wrongdoing.

“Melania,” a documentary made in partnership with the US first lady, is the first film directed by Ratner, who also directed the Rush Hour films and X-Men: The Last Stand, in over a decade. In 2017, six women said Ratner sexually harassed them, in a Los Angeles Times report. Warner Bros, which had a $450m co-financing deal with his production company, severed ties with Ratner, who denied the allegations.

Another image released by the DoJ appears to include the French modeling agent and friend of Epstein, Jean-Luc Brunel, who is sitting on a sofa with another woman, whose face has been redacted.

Authorities arrested Brunel in December 2020 at Charles de Gaulle airport on suspicion of crimes including alleged rape and sexual assault of minors and human trafficking of underage girls for sexual exploitation. Brunel, who was suspected of providing teenage girls to Epstein, was found dead in prison in February 2022 of an apparent suicide.

You can find a summary of the main revelations found in the latest Epstein file release in this useful explainer:

Metropolitan police urged to reopen Andrew investigation by lawyer

In an interview with the Mail on Sunday, Gloria Allred, a lawyer who has represented many of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims, said:

The Metropolitan Police should reopen their investigation of Andrew. In addition, Andrew should volunteer to speak to Congress, even though he has denied that he has committed any crime.

He should do this to help the survivors learn what he observed.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his titles by King Charles last year after the posthumous release of a book by Virginia Giuffre who alleged she was trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell when she was 17.

Mountbatten-Windsor paid millions to Giuffre, a woman he has claimed never to have met, to settle a civil sexual assault claim in 2022. He made no admission of liability and has denied any wrongdoing.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed in December that the force would “take no further action” over claims Mountbatten-Windsor asked his police protection officer for information on Giuffre.

Second woman alleges Epstein sent her to UK to have sex with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

A second woman has alleged that Jeffrey Epstein sent her to the UK to have a sexual encounter with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, according to her lawyer.

The woman has claimed she spent the night at the former prince’s residence Royal Lodge in 2010, her US lawyer, Brad Edwards, told the BBC. The woman, who is not British, was in her 20s at the time, it was reported.

Edwards, from the Florida-based law firm Edwards Henderson, said that after spending the night with Mountbatten-Windsor, the woman claims, she was given a tour of Buckingham Palace and tea.

“We’re talking about at least one woman who was sent by Jeffrey Epstein over to Prince Andrew. And she even had, after a night with Prince Andrew, a tour of Buckingham Palace,” Edwards told the broadcaster.

Keir Starmer has said Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (pictured) should testify before the US Congress about his links to the late child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

It is the first time an Epstein accuser has alleged a sexual encounter at a royal residence, Royal Lodge.

BBC News said it had received no response to a request for comment from Mountbatten-Windsor on the claim, and that although Buckingham Palace routinely records the names of tour guests, it had not been possible to corroborate the woman’s visit without revealing her identity …

Mountbatten-Windsor has denied Giuffre’s claims and any wrongdoing related to Epstein, a convicted sex offender who killed himself in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019. You can read the full story here:

There is another email from Sarah Ferguson in the latest tranche of Epstein files.

In it, she reveals to a recipient, referred to as ‘A’, that she was introduced to US lawyer and businessman David Stern by Jeffrey Epstein, and that Stern had come to the Royal Lodge in Windsor for dinner.

The email address of ‘A’ is redacted. Sarah signs off her own name as ‘S’.

Epstein is cc’d on the email, which is dated 6th February 2010. Stern also appears to have been cc’d, although his address is redacted.

The email was sent a few months before the former duchess appears to have sent the backruptcy settlement agreement to Stern (see 13.44 below).

The email states:

“A.

I was introduced to David Stern by Jeffrey. He came to Royal lodge for dinner. He has been helping me a great deal with an ear and advice to my way ahead. He has a great rolodex for China. And infact [sic] his company is called Asia Gateway. Anyway, David has offered his help to assist in the wealth Fund [sic] idea with China.

Jeffrey rates David Stern highly, but if you think it is a good idea, then maybe you could check with Jeffrey and then, get in touch with David directly. David is very correct, and would not dream to get in touch with you until you invite him to.

S.”

It is unclear who ‘A’ is.

Being mentioned in these documents is not a sign of wrongdoing.

One of the emails from the latest tranche of Epstein files appears to relate to a settlement agreement for Hartmoor, a US company founded by Sarah Ferguson in 2006, Sky News has reported.

The company was set up to deal with Ferguson’s media, publishing and licensing work. It folded in 2009 with debts of £650,000.

According to Sky News, on 6 October 2009, details of the settlement agreement were forwarded to the US lawyer and businessman David Stern in an attachment.

The email appears to have been sent by the office of the former Duchess, apparently at Ferguson’s request.

Stern then sent the email to Epstein and stated: “Attached the settlement – if possible we need a review from a US lawyer re the IP situation following a bankruptcy.”

‘IP’ may stand for ‘intellectual property’.

It is not clear what was in the attachment or what the details of the settlement were and it is not known why the attachment was sent to Stern.

It also unclear exactly why Stern, who died in 2020, forwarded the email to Epstein.

Both Stern’s email address and the email address of the person who apparently sent the email from Sarah Ferguson’s office have been redacted.

Being mentioned in these documents is not a sign of wrongdoing.

Jeffrey Epstein sent accounts linked to Peter Mandelson $75,000, documents appear to show

According to newly released bank statements by the US Department of Justice, Jeffrey Epstein appears to have sent $75,000 (£54,500) in three instalments between 2003 and 2004 to accounts connected to Peter Mandelson, when he was Labour MP for Hartlepool.

The files record three separate payments from Epstein’s JPMorgan accounts of $25,000 each, all referencing Mandelson, as first reported by the Financial Times.

The first payment, dated 14 May 2003, was sent to a Barclays account held by Mandelson’s partner, Reinaldo Avila da Silva (the couple married in 2023 after 27 years together).

Mandelson was listed as “BEN” – a typical stand in for beneficiary – of the funds, while Da Silva was named as “A/C” – a common abbreviation for account.

The second and third payments were made to HSBC accounts a few days apart in June 2004, labelled only with Mandelson’s name, again next to “BEN”.

A spokesperson for Mandelson told the FT that he had no record or memory of receiving the payments, and was unsure if the released documents were even authentic. There are no references to any donations or loans sent from Epstein to Mandelson in the House of Commons register of interests over the period in question.

'This is the end,' Trevor Phillips says to his 'friend' Peter Mandelson in direct video address

At the beginning of his programme, Trevor Phillips delivered a dramatic message straight to camera to Peter Mandelson, his friend for 50 years, who he worked extensively together with over their careers, including as politicians.

Despite Mandelson being sacked as the UK’s ambassador to Washington when details of his support for Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier and late sex offender, emerged in September, Phillips said he remains friends with Mandelson, an architect of Tony Blair’s New Labour project in the 1990s.

Philip’s monologue was filmed after the latest ‘Epstein files’ release showed Epstein sending £10,000 ($13,692) to Mandelson’s partner Reinaldo Avila da Silva in 2009. Addressing Mandelson directly, Phillips said:

It’s a friend’s privilege to tell you that you are ill-suited to a role, even that you are a complete idiot …

I have not spoken personally to Lord Mandelson about the release this weekend of documents, messages, photographs and videos related to the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

He was invited to join us this morning but declined … . However, he has told this porgramme that neither he or his husband have any records or recollection of receiving payments of 2003 or 2004 or knows whether the documentation is authentic.

He does accept that Reinaldo received a loan of $10,000 from Epstein whilst he, Mandelson, was a senior cabinet minister, and he acknowledges that in the same period, Epstein was amongst those who lobbied him on important policy matters.

There’s no suggestion that Lord Mandelson has done anything unlawful. But I would claim the friend’s privilege to tell Peter that he has been, at best naive and foolish, at worst greedy and duplicitous.

Whatever is true as far as politics and public office are concerned, for Peter Mandelson, this is the end.

The question now is whether the price of his misjudgement is to be paid only by the man himself, or whether those who trusted him and elevated him to the peerage, and to one of the highest diplomatic posts available, should also share in his ignominy.