Items from the Epstein files, including a photo of Donald Trump, were removed by the justice department from its website because of concerns raised by victims, the deputy attorney general said on Sunday.

Todd Blanche rejected criticisms that the removal was related to the US president and said the photo that included him also showed unredacted images of women.

At least 13 files – from thousands released on Friday related to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein – had disappeared from the website without explanation by Saturday.

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee questioned the images’ removal. In a social media post, they asked Attorney General Pam Bondi: “What else is being covered up?”

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a post on X on Sunday that the image of Trump was flagged by the Southern District of New York “for potential further action to protect victims”.

It added that the image was removed temporarily for further review “out of an abundance of caution”.

“After the review, it was determined there is no evidence that any Epstein victims are depicted in the photograph, and it has been reposted without any alteration or redaction,” the DOJ said.

That image was restored by early Sunday, available through a link to the website. The other files had not returned to the site as of that evening.

Blanche called the suggestion that the photo was removed due to Trump “laughable”. “It has nothing to do with President Trump,” he told NBC News.

“There are dozens of photos of President Trump already released to the public seeing him with Mr Epstein.”

He added: “So the absurdity of us pulling down a photo, a single photo, because President Trump was in it, is laughable.”

Blanche cited a judge in New York who “has ordered us to listen to any victim or victims’ rights group if they have concerns” as a reason behind removing some previously posted files.

“There were a number of photographs that were pulled down after being released on Friday,” he said.

Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein and has not been accused of any crimes by Epstein’s victims. There is no suggestion that these pictures imply any wrongdoing.

The DOJ already was under fire for not releasing all of the files by the Friday deadline, as mandated by law.

The justice department documents, which include photos, videos and investigative materials linked to Epstein, were highly anticipated after Congress passed a law mandating their release in their entirety by Friday.

Congressman Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican who led the charge to release the files, said he was frustrated with the Trump administration’s response and his focus is to get justice for the victims.

He said he is drafting inherent contempt charges for Attorney General Pam Bondi.

“They are flouting the spirit and the letter of the law,” he told CBS News on Sunday. “It’s very troubling the posture that they have taken. I won’t be satisfied until the survivors are satisfied.”

The image included in the removed files shows a credenza desk in Epstein’s home with an open drawer filled with other photos, one of which shows the president with Epstein, first lady Melania Trump and Epstein’s convicted associate Ghislane Maxwell. Framed photos also can be seen on top of the desk.

Ten of the missing files include images showing apparently the same room – a small massage parlour with clouds painted on the ceiling, and brown patterned wallpaper studded with multiple nudes. Some appear to be photos, others are artwork.

Most of the women pictured on the wall have had their faces redacted. However, one face is redacted in one file but plainly visible in three of the others. Another face remains unredacted in all of the files while a painted image of the same person is visible.

On Saturday, the House Oversight Committee Democrats, questioning the files’ removal, posted the missing photo of Trump on social media and asked Attorney General Pam Bondi if it was true that the image had been removed.

“What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public,” the committee wrote.

The files’ removal comes at time of increased suspicion surrounding the US government and the so-called Epstein files.

The documents released on Friday came to light as the result of an act of Congress that forced the DOJ to release them.

The DOJ said it would comply with the congressional request to release documents, with some stipulations.

It redacted personally identifiable information about Epstein’s victims, materials depicting child sexual abuse, materials depicting physical abuse, any records that “would jeopardise an active federal investigation” or any classified documents that must stay secret to protect “national defence or foreign policy”.

But many of the documents that were released were heavily redacted.

There was limited new information about Epstein’s crimes and things like internal DOJ memos on charging decisions were not included in the files that were released.

Additional reporting by Alison Benjamin and Benedict Garman.