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Right-leaning responses to the limited release of documents related to the Epstein case have been sharply divided, with some backers of the previous administration pointing out the prominent appearance of Bill Clinton and other Democrats in images, while different voices expressed frustration over how extensive censorship cast former President Trump and Republicans in a negative light.

Administration Justifies Censorship with Strong Hyperbole

Justice Department representatives defended the heavily censored sections with fervent exaggerated language. “Never in U.S. the nation's history has a Commander-in-Chief or the Department of Justice been this open with the public about such a sensitive legal matter,” stated Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who released a detailed letter describing the redaction process.

Questions Raised by Blacked-Out Sections

While Trump's identity and likeness appear in some of the documents, the widespread redactions prompt serious questions about the information may be concealed behind them. A number of conservative lawmakers immediately demanded increased transparency.

“The public are raging and disengaging,” wrote Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Via a social media post, Republican Kentucky Thomas Massie said the censorship break the law, and suggested that a future legislature may move to remove the Attorney General, Pam Bondi, for that violation. “Unfortunately, today’s file dump grossly does not adhere to both the intent and the letter of the act,” he added.

Some Conservative Figures Swing Behind the Disclosure

But, some rightwing commentators and former President allies swung firmly behind the administration.

The release—from a justice department led by key Trump associate Pam Bondi—includes scores of pages that are completely censored, and numerous of the individuals depicted in photographs have their identities obscured.

But some are not, featuring high-profile figures like Bill Clinton, pop singer Michael Jackson, and academic Noam Chomsky. The presence of the former president, especially, enabled certain rightwing figures to go on the attack.

“This is quite ironic how the political left falsely claimed Donald Trump of being a sex offender, only for the administration's Justice Department to release Epstein files that depict Bill Clinton swimming nude with a convicted sex offender,” wrote conservative activist Laura Loomer.

“New Epstein Files reveal Bill Clinton shirtless in a jacuzzi with a woman that is not his spouse Hillary Clinton,” wrote lawyer Rogan O’Handley. “There is only 1 explanation Epstein would photograph a US President with a young woman in a hot tub: Blackmail.”

Clinton Campaign Releases Statement

Clinton has repeatedly said he was aware of zero criminal activity by Epstein and has never been alleged to have participated in any wrongdoing. “The administration hasn’t been hiding these files for an extended period only to dump them at the last minute on a weekend to shield Bill Clinton,” his representative Angel Ureña stated in a statement.

“This is about protecting themselves from what comes next, or from information they’ll try and hide forever. So they can release as many low-quality 20-plus-year-old photos as they want, but this isn’t about Bill Clinton. Not previously, not ever be,” the response concluded.

Overall Conservative Commentary Seems Subdued

However, overall comment on the political right was relatively subdued after the release, particularly when juxtaposed against the loud calls for action that preceded the congressional approval to pass a bill requiring the documents' release.

The commentator, who not long ago secured media access at the Defense Department, had been among the most vocal proponents for a complete disclosure. In February, she chastised the administration generally and Bondi specifically after a set of conservative personalities were given physical folders of files that contained no new data.