Brett Ratner appears in newly released Epstein files, no wrongdoing indicated

Newly released images from files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein show filmmaker Brett Ratner, director of the documentary on US First Lady Melania Trump, sitting beside Epstein and embracing a young woman. The images, released by the US Department of Justice, also show Ratner alongside the late French modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel. The exact timing of the photos is unclear. There is no indication of wrongdoing from the files. Ratner, known for directing the Rush Hour series and X-Men: The Last Stand, has previously faced sexual misconduct allegations during the #MeToo movement in 2017, which he denied. The documents form part of a larger release of millions of files connected to Epstein, who died in custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The release coincides with the premiere of Ratner’s documentary ‘Melania: 20 Days to History,’ a behind-the-scenes look at the First Lady’s life before Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration. The files also include images and information regarding Epstein’s connections with high-profile individuals, such as Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Lord Peter Mandelson, and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. French agent Brunel, suspected of aiding Epstein in trafficking young women, died in prison in 2022 in an apparent suicide. The DOJ redacted the files to protect victims, although some identities were reportedly exposed.