diff --git a/backend/__tests__/unit/routes/pods.external-links.test.js b/backend/__tests__/unit/routes/pods.external-links.test.js
index d705b5c5..a06fa91e 100644
--- a/backend/__tests__/unit/routes/pods.external-links.test.js
+++ b/backend/__tests__/unit/routes/pods.external-links.test.js
@@ -241,12 +241,30 @@ describe('pods routes - external links', () => {
     await request(app).delete('/api/pods/external-link/l1').expect(404);
   });
 
-  it('returns 403 when deleting link as non-owner', async () => {
-    ExternalLink.findById.mockResolvedValue({ podId: 'p1' });
-    Pod.findById.mockResolvedValue({ createdBy: { toString: () => 'other' } });
+  it('returns 403 when deleting link as neither owner nor creator', async () => {
+    ExternalLink.findById.mockResolvedValue({
+      podId: 'p1',
+      createdBy: { toString: () => 'someone-else' },
+    });
+    Pod.findById.mockResolvedValue({ createdBy: { toString: () => 'other-owner' } });
     await request(app).delete('/api/pods/external-link/l1').expect(403);
   });
 
+  it('allows the link creator to delete (even if not pod owner)', async () => {
+    const podSave = jest.fn();
+    ExternalLink.findById.mockResolvedValue({
+      podId: 'p1',
+      createdBy: { toString: () => 'user1' }, // current authed user
+    });
+    Pod.findById.mockResolvedValue({
+      createdBy: { toString: () => 'other-owner' },
+      externalLinks: ['l1'],
+      save: podSave,
+    });
+    await request(app).delete('/api/pods/external-link/l1').expect(200);
+    expect(ExternalLink.findByIdAndDelete).toHaveBeenCalledWith('l1');
+  });
+
   it('fetches qrcode when user is member', async () => {
     ExternalLink.findById.mockResolvedValue({
       podId: 'p1',
diff --git a/backend/__tests__/unit/routes/pods.files-delete.test.js b/backend/__tests__/unit/routes/pods.files-delete.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..65cfd328
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/__tests__/unit/routes/pods.files-delete.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+const request = require('supertest');
+const express = require('express');
+
+jest.mock('../../../middleware/auth', () => (req, res, next) => {
+  req.user = { id: 'user1' };
+  req.userId = 'user1';
+  next();
+});
+
+const Pod = require('../../../models/Pod');
+const File = require('../../../models/File');
+
+jest.mock('../../../models/Pod');
+jest.mock('../../../models/File');
+
+const mockObjectStoreDelete = jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+jest.mock('../../../services/objectStore', () => ({
+  getObjectStore: () => ({ delete: mockObjectStoreDelete }),
+  __resetObjectStoreForTests: jest.fn(),
+}));
+
+const routes = require('../../../routes/pods');
+
+const VALID_FILE_ID = '67a9ceb240f8f53015944a05';
+
+describe('pods routes - DELETE /:podId/files/:fileId', () => {
+  let app;
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    app = express();
+    app.use(express.json());
+    app.use('/api/pods', routes);
+    jest.clearAllMocks();
+    mockObjectStoreDelete.mockClear();
+  });
+
+  it('deletes a file when caller is the pod owner', async () => {
+    File.findById.mockResolvedValue({
+      _id: VALID_FILE_ID,
+      fileName: '1234-5678.pdf',
+      podId: { toString: () => 'p1' },
+      uploadedBy: { toString: () => 'someone-else' },
+    });
+    Pod.findById.mockResolvedValue({ createdBy: { toString: () => 'user1' } });
+    File.deleteOne = jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+    await request(app).delete(`/api/pods/p1/files/${VALID_FILE_ID}`).expect(200);
+    expect(File.deleteOne).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ _id: VALID_FILE_ID });
+    expect(mockObjectStoreDelete).toHaveBeenCalledWith('1234-5678.pdf');
+  });
+
+  it('deletes a file when caller is the original uploader (not owner)', async () => {
+    File.findById.mockResolvedValue({
+      _id: VALID_FILE_ID,
+      fileName: '1234-5678.pdf',
+      podId: { toString: () => 'p1' },
+      uploadedBy: { toString: () => 'user1' },
+    });
+    Pod.findById.mockResolvedValue({ createdBy: { toString: () => 'other-owner' } });
+    File.deleteOne = jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+    await request(app).delete(`/api/pods/p1/files/${VALID_FILE_ID}`).expect(200);
+    expect(File.deleteOne).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it('returns 403 when caller is neither owner nor uploader', async () => {
+    File.findById.mockResolvedValue({
+      _id: VALID_FILE_ID,
+      fileName: '1234-5678.pdf',
+      podId: { toString: () => 'p1' },
+      uploadedBy: { toString: () => 'someone-else' },
+    });
+    Pod.findById.mockResolvedValue({ createdBy: { toString: () => 'other-owner' } });
+    File.deleteOne = jest.fn();
+    await request(app).delete(`/api/pods/p1/files/${VALID_FILE_ID}`).expect(403);
+    expect(File.deleteOne).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(mockObjectStoreDelete).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it('returns 400 for an invalid fileId shape (ReDoS-style abuse)', async () => {
+    await request(app).delete('/api/pods/p1/files/not-an-objectid').expect(400);
+  });
+
+  it('returns 404 when the file is not found', async () => {
+    File.findById.mockResolvedValue(null);
+    await request(app).delete(`/api/pods/p1/files/${VALID_FILE_ID}`).expect(404);
+  });
+
+  it('returns 404 when the file is in a different pod', async () => {
+    File.findById.mockResolvedValue({
+      _id: VALID_FILE_ID,
+      fileName: '1234-5678.pdf',
+      podId: { toString: () => 'OTHER_POD' },
+      uploadedBy: { toString: () => 'user1' },
+    });
+    await request(app).delete(`/api/pods/p1/files/${VALID_FILE_ID}`).expect(404);
+  });
+
+  it('completes the metadata delete even when ObjectStore.delete throws', async () => {
+    File.findById.mockResolvedValue({
+      _id: VALID_FILE_ID,
+      fileName: '1234-5678.pdf',
+      podId: { toString: () => 'p1' },
+      uploadedBy: { toString: () => 'user1' },
+    });
+    Pod.findById.mockResolvedValue({ createdBy: { toString: () => 'other-owner' } });
+    File.deleteOne = jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+    mockObjectStoreDelete.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error('GCS down'));
+    await request(app).delete(`/api/pods/p1/files/${VALID_FILE_ID}`).expect(200);
+    expect(File.deleteOne).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/backend/routes/pods.ts b/backend/routes/pods.ts
index fec17676..9d7d6204 100644
--- a/backend/routes/pods.ts
+++ b/backend/routes/pods.ts
@@ -198,11 +198,16 @@ router.post('/external-link', auth, upload.single('qrCode'), async (req: AuthReq
 router.delete('/external-link/:id', auth, async (req: AuthReq, res: Res) => {
   try {
     const linkId = req.params?.id;
-    const externalLink = await ExternalLink.findById(linkId) as { podId?: unknown; qrCodePath?: string } | null;
+    const externalLink = await ExternalLink.findById(linkId) as { podId?: unknown; qrCodePath?: string; createdBy?: { toString: () => string } } | null;
     if (!externalLink) return res.status(404).json({ message: 'External link not found' });
     const pod = await Pod.findById(externalLink.podId) as { createdBy?: { toString: () => string }; externalLinks?: Array<{ toString: () => string }>; save: () => Promise<void> } | null;
     if (!pod) return res.status(404).json({ message: 'Pod not found' });
-    if (pod.createdBy?.toString() !== req.user?.id) return res.status(403).json({ message: 'Only pod owner can delete external links' });
+    // Pod owner OR the user who added the link can delete it. Members at
+    // large can't — keeps a malicious pod-mate from nuking shared artifacts.
+    const userId = req.user?.id;
+    const isOwner = pod.createdBy?.toString() === userId;
+    const isCreator = externalLink.createdBy?.toString() === userId;
+    if (!isOwner && !isCreator) return res.status(403).json({ message: 'Only pod owner or link creator can delete' });
     pod.externalLinks = pod.externalLinks?.filter((id) => id.toString() !== linkId);
     await pod.save();
     if (externalLink.qrCodePath && fs.existsSync(externalLink.qrCodePath)) fs.unlinkSync(externalLink.qrCodePath);
@@ -320,6 +325,42 @@ router.get('/:podId/files', auth, async (req: AuthReq, res: Res) => {
   }
 });
 
+// Delete a pod-scoped file. Permitted: the pod owner OR the original
+// uploader. The route also deletes the bytes from the configured ObjectStore
+// driver, mirroring the lifecycle the legacy /external-link/:id delete uses
+// for QR-code blobs. Failures to delete from the driver are logged but don't
+// block the metadata delete — orphaned bytes can be GC'd later (ADR-002
+// Phase 4 nightly sweep).
+router.delete('/:podId/files/:fileId', auth, async (req: AuthReq, res: Res) => {
+  try {
+    const { podId, fileId } = req.params || {};
+    if (!fileId || !/^[A-Fa-f0-9]{24}$/.test(fileId)) return res.status(400).json({ message: 'Invalid fileId' });
+    const fileDoc = await File.findById(fileId) as { _id: unknown; fileName?: string; podId?: { toString: () => string }; uploadedBy?: { toString: () => string }; deleteOne?: () => Promise<void> } | null;
+    if (!fileDoc) return res.status(404).json({ message: 'File not found' });
+    if (fileDoc.podId?.toString() !== podId) return res.status(404).json({ message: 'File not in this pod' });
+    const pod = await Pod.findById(podId) as { createdBy?: { toString: () => string } } | null;
+    if (!pod) return res.status(404).json({ message: 'Pod not found' });
+    const userId = req.user?.id;
+    const isOwner = pod.createdBy?.toString() === userId;
+    const isUploader = fileDoc.uploadedBy?.toString() === userId;
+    if (!isOwner && !isUploader) return res.status(403).json({ message: 'Only pod owner or file uploader can delete' });
+    if (fileDoc.fileName) {
+      try {
+        // eslint-disable-next-line global-require, @typescript-eslint/no-require-imports
+        const { getObjectStore } = require('../services/objectStore') as { getObjectStore: () => { delete: (key: string) => Promise<void> } };
+        await getObjectStore().delete(fileDoc.fileName);
+      } catch (driverErr) {
+        console.warn('ObjectStore delete failed (will be GC\'d):', (driverErr as Error).message);
+      }
+    }
+    await File.deleteOne({ _id: fileDoc._id });
+    return res.status(200).json({ message: 'File deleted' });
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error('Error deleting pod file:', error);
+    return res.status(500).json({ message: 'Server error' });
+  }
+});
+
 router.get('/:podId/external-links', auth, async (req: AuthReq, res: Res) => {
   try {
     const { podId } = req.params || {};
diff --git a/frontend/src/v2/components/V2PodInspector.tsx b/frontend/src/v2/components/V2PodInspector.tsx
index ffc15215..f28e901f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/v2/components/V2PodInspector.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/v2/components/V2PodInspector.tsx
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ interface ExternalLinkItem {
   name?: string;
   type?: string;
   url?: string;
+  createdBy?: { _id?: string; username?: string } | string;
 }
 
 interface PodFileItem {
@@ -60,8 +61,15 @@ interface PodFileItem {
   contentType?: string;
   size?: number;
   createdAt?: string;
+  uploadedBy?: { _id?: string; username?: string } | string;
 }
 
+const itemOwnerId = (raw: ExternalLinkItem['createdBy'] | PodFileItem['uploadedBy']): string | undefined => {
+  if (!raw) return undefined;
+  if (typeof raw === 'string') return raw;
+  return raw._id;
+};
+
 // Per-type label for the Artifacts row icon (1-2 char glyph) and the
 // human-readable kind shown under the title. Keep aligned with the enum in
 // `backend/models/ExternalLink.ts`. Unknown kinds fall back to "L" / "Link".
@@ -670,11 +678,28 @@ const V2PodInspector: React.FC<V2PodInspectorProps> = ({
   // sits at the top — matches the user's expectation that the row they just
   // pasted is visible without scrolling. Within each source, server returns
   // newest-first.
-  const artifactItems: Array<{ id: string; kind: string; title: string; subtitle?: string; url?: string; fileName?: string }> = [
+  const artifactItems: Array<{
+    id: string;
+    kind: string;
+    title: string;
+    subtitle?: string;
+    url?: string;
+    fileName?: string;
+    // Identifiers for the underlying record (link _id or file _id) and the
+    // user who created it. Lets renderArtifactDetail decide whether the
+    // current viewer can delete (pod owner OR creator) and which DELETE
+    // endpoint to hit. Announcements aren't deletable from this surface yet
+    // — they live under a separate admin flow.
+    sourceKind?: 'announcement' | 'link' | 'file';
+    sourceId?: string;
+    createdById?: string;
+  }> = [
     ...announcements.map((a) => ({
       id: `ann-${a._id}`,
       kind: 'Announcement',
       title: a.title || a.content || 'Untitled announcement',
+      sourceKind: 'announcement' as const,
+      sourceId: a._id,
     })),
     ...externalLinks.map((l) => ({
       id: `link-${l._id}`,
@@ -682,6 +707,9 @@ const V2PodInspector: React.FC<V2PodInspectorProps> = ({
       title: l.name || l.url || 'External link',
       subtitle: l.url,
       url: l.url,
+      sourceKind: 'link' as const,
+      sourceId: l._id,
+      createdById: itemOwnerId(l.createdBy),
     })),
     ...podFiles.map((f) => ({
       id: `file-${f._id}`,
@@ -691,6 +719,9 @@ const V2PodInspector: React.FC<V2PodInspectorProps> = ({
       // No `url` here — files require a signed-URL mint. The detail view's
       // Open button calls getSignedAttachmentUrl(`/api/uploads/${fileName}`).
       fileName: f.fileName,
+      sourceKind: 'file' as const,
+      sourceId: f._id,
+      createdById: itemOwnerId(f.uploadedBy),
     })),
   ];
 
@@ -1004,6 +1035,43 @@ const V2PodInspector: React.FC<V2PodInspectorProps> = ({
     if (href) window.open(href, '_blank', 'noopener,noreferrer');
   };
 
+  // Pod owner OR original creator/uploader can delete an artifact. Backend
+  // enforces this independently — frontend gating is just to avoid showing
+  // a button that would 403. Announcements not yet deletable from here.
+  const [deleting, setDeleting] = useState(false);
+  const [deleteError, setDeleteError] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const canDeleteItem = (item: typeof artifactItems[0]): boolean => {
+    if (!item.sourceKind || item.sourceKind === 'announcement') return false;
+    const me = currentUser?._id;
+    if (!me) return false;
+    if (ownerId && String(ownerId) === String(me)) return true;
+    if (item.createdById && String(item.createdById) === String(me)) return true;
+    return false;
+  };
+  const handleDeleteArtifact = async (item: typeof artifactItems[0]) => {
+    if (!item.sourceId || !item.sourceKind || !pod) return;
+    const label = item.title || 'this item';
+    if (!window.confirm(`Delete ${label}? This can't be undone.`)) return;
+    setDeleting(true);
+    setDeleteError(null);
+    try {
+      if (item.sourceKind === 'link') {
+        await api.del(`/api/pods/external-link/${item.sourceId}`);
+        setExternalLinks((prev) => prev.filter((l) => l._id !== item.sourceId));
+      } else if (item.sourceKind === 'file') {
+        await api.del(`/api/pods/${pod._id}/files/${item.sourceId}`);
+        setPodFiles((prev) => prev.filter((f) => f._id !== item.sourceId));
+      }
+      // Pop back to overview now that this artifact no longer exists.
+      onBack();
+    } catch (err) {
+      const e = err as { response?: { data?: { message?: string } }; message?: string };
+      setDeleteError(e.response?.data?.message || e.message || 'Could not delete.');
+    } finally {
+      setDeleting(false);
+    }
+  };
+
   const renderArtifactDetail = (artifactId: string) => {
     const found = artifactItems.find((a) => a.id === artifactId);
     if (!found) {
@@ -1028,17 +1096,32 @@ const V2PodInspector: React.FC<V2PodInspectorProps> = ({
             title: found.title,
           }}
         />
-        {openable && (
-          <div className="v2-inspector__detail-actions">
-            <button
-              type="button"
-              className="v2-inspector__btn v2-inspector__btn--primary"
-              onClick={() => { void handleOpenArtifact(found); }}
-            >
-              Open
-            </button>
+        {(openable || canDeleteItem(found)) && (
+          <div className="v2-inspector__detail-actions" style={{ display: 'flex', gap: 8, alignItems: 'center' }}>
+            {openable && (
+              <button
+                type="button"
+                className="v2-inspector__btn v2-inspector__btn--primary"
+                onClick={() => { void handleOpenArtifact(found); }}
+              >
+                Open
+              </button>
+            )}
+            {canDeleteItem(found) && (
+              <button
+                type="button"
+                className="v2-inspector__link v2-inspector__link--danger"
+                onClick={() => { void handleDeleteArtifact(found); }}
+                disabled={deleting}
+              >
+                {deleting ? 'Deleting…' : 'Delete'}
+              </button>
+            )}
           </div>
         )}
+        {deleteError && (
+          <div style={{ fontSize: 11, color: 'var(--v2-danger)', padding: '4px 0' }}>{deleteError}</div>
+        )}
         {found.subtitle && (
           <div className="v2-inspector__detail-card">
             <div className="v2-inspector__detail-kicker">{found.fileName ? 'Type' : 'Source'}</div>