Evan Ross pushed back after a redacted photo released alongside the latest Jeffrey Epstein–related documents sparked widespread confusion online.
The image, shared as part of the Justice Department’s Dec. 19 transparency release, showed former President Bill Clinton, Michael Jackson, and Diana Ross with several faces blacked out, insinuating the photo was tied to Epstein.
Internet sleuths quickly identified the image as a publicly available fundraiser photo that included Ross and Jackson’s children.
Evan Ross enters the comments
White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson posted the image on X, framing the post as a case of transparency.
“Per the Epstein Files Transparency Act, DOJ was specifically instructed only to redact the faces of victims and/or minors,” she wrote. Then she added,
“Here is a picture of Bill Clinton with his arm around Michael Jackson, and redacted individuals.” While technically she never claimed that the photo was in the Epstein files, the insinuation was clear.
Evan Ross entered the conversation on multiple Instagram posts, including one from Hollywood Unlocked. On one unidentified post showing the redacted image, Ross wrote, “Thats me not [unidentified] women.”
Hollywood Unlocked shared that the photo was a false narrative, to which Ross replied, “Thank you. These people [are ridiculous].”
Ross’s comments and full images from the event in question spread online. At the same time, people called out Abigail Jackson for allegedly trying to spread a false narrative. Folks shared screenshots of Ross’s comments across platforms, as critics pushed back and found the original photos from the fundraiser.
Progressive media outlet MeidasTouch Network responded to the deputy press secretary on X, writing, “How dare you. Those are Michael Jackson’s sons and Diana Ross’ son — not victims — as you are implying. This is a publicly available photo from an event they attended together.”
Others echoed MeidasTouch Network’s tweet. X user @Smitherhands shared a screenshot of a post with the unredacted photo, saying, “Unredacted. Context matters. His children and Diana Ross’s son. Now show the real villains, instead of using Michael Jackson, who was exonerated in court, as a distraction.”
Meanwhile, @amir7iqbal_amir noted, “its obvious that you’re trying to deflect attention on the fact that the US president was best buds with epistein, nice try but it won’t work.”
Another X user shared a Getty Images photo from the same event, writing, “You guys are dense.”
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