A spokesperson for the Justice Department just dropped a massive piece of news, claiming that the blacked-out person next to Bill Clinton in one of those widely circulated hot tub photos is actually a victim of Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse, as per CNN. This development immediately complicates the narrative coming from the former president’s team.
Gates McGavick, the Justice Department spokesperson, confirmed the status of the redacted individual. McGavick posted the image directly to X, explaining that the black box was added specifically to protect a victim. McGavick wrote that the photo showed a “Beloved Democrat President,” adding, “The black box is added to protect a victim.”
The identification of a victim in the photo directly conflicts with the defense put out by Clinton’s spokesperson, Angel Ureña. Ureña had released a statement earlier claiming that the former president not only did not know about Epstein’s horrific crimes but had also cut off his relationship with the convicted sex offender before those crimes even came to light.
The former president is seemingly in hot water
Ureña tried to draw a clear line in the sand regarding those who associated with Epstein. “There are two types of people here,” Ureña said. “The first group knew nothing and cut Epstein off before his crimes came to light. The second group continued relationships with him after. We’re in the first.” If the person in the hot tub photo is indeed a victim, that statement looks incredibly shaky right now.
The Justice Department is required to redact information that could identify victims who were sexually abused, thanks to the Epstein Files Transparency Act. This is why you see the black boxes in the first place. You should know, though, that it is not clear that every single redaction in every photo was made to protect a confirmed victim; for instance, an older man’s face was blacked out in some of the images.
Despite this shocking new context surrounding the photo, it is crucial to remember that Clinton has never been accused of any wrongdoing by law enforcement, nor has he been charged with any crimes related to Epstein. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche supported this fact in a letter sent to Congress. Blanche stated that the Justice Department had conducted an extensive review of all the Epstein-related materials.
That review, Blanche confirmed, did not “uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties,” which would include Clinton. This means the DOJ hasn’t found anything in the just-released Epstein Files, which also has a picture of Donald Trump with Jeffrey Epstein, that would warrant opening an investigation into the former president. The Clinton spokesperson immediately fired back at the current administration following the photo’s circulation. The statement claimed that the Trump administration was “shielding themselves from what comes next.”
It is important to note the political context surrounding the spokesperson who posted the image. Before Gates McGavick joined President Trump’s administration this year, he worked for the Republican National Committee and several Republican lawmakers. When other outlets asked the Justice Department specifically about McGavick’s post on X, the Department declined to provide any comment.
This leaves us with a high-profile claim from a politically affiliated spokesperson that seems to undermine the former president’s defense, but without official confirmation from the wider DOJ.
Published: Dec 22, 2025 05:00 pm