By Jeff Mason, Andrew Goudsward, and Joseph Ax
WASHINGTON () – U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi informed President Donald Trump in May that his name was mentioned in investigation documents connected to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday.
The revelation of Trump’s involvement in the Justice Department’s case files risked intensifying a political crisis that has been affecting his administration for weeks. For years, some of Trump’s supporters have promoted conspiracy theories regarding Epstein’s clients and the conditions surrounding his 2019 death in prison.
The White House provided conflicting messages after the story broke. It issued an early statement labeling it as “fake news,” but a White House representative later mentioned that the administration was not refuting the fact that Trump’s name is present in certain documents, pointing out that Trump had already been part of a group of materials Bondi gathered in February for conservative leaders.
Trump, who maintained a friendship with Epstein during the 1990s and early 2000s, is listed multiple times on flight records for Epstein’s private jet from the 1990s. Trump and various members of his family are also found in Epstein’s contact book, along with hundreds of other individuals.
A significant portion of this information was made public during the criminal case involving Epstein’s former associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who received a 20-year prison sentence following her conviction for child sex trafficking and additional offenses.
During her trial, Epstein’s long-time pilot stated that Trump traveled on Epstein’s private jet on several occasions. Trump has refuted ever being on the aircraft.
was unable to confirm the Journal’s report right away.
Trump has encountered strong criticism from his own followers following his administration’s decision not to disclose the documents, going back on a previous pledge.
The Department of Justice stated in a memo released earlier this month that there was no justification for further investigation into the Epstein case, causing frustration among certain high-profile Trump allies who called for more details about influential individuals who had connections with Epstein.
Trump has not faced allegations of misconduct concerning Epstein and has stated that their friendship concluded before Epstein’s legal issues arose two decades ago.
Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche released a statement that did not explicitly comment on the Journal’s report.
None of the information in the records required additional examination or legal action, and we have submitted a request to the court to make the grand jury transcripts public,” officials stated. “As part of our regular update, we informed the President about the conclusions.
MANY NAMES APPEARED
The newspaper stated that Bondi and her assistant informed Trump during a meeting at the White House that his name, along with those of “numerous other prominent individuals,” was listed in the documents.
Epstein took his own life in 2019 while he was waiting for trial on allegations of sex trafficking, which he had denied. In another matter, Epstein admitted guilt in 2008 to a prostitution charge in Florida and was given a 13-month sentence, which is now seen by many as an overly mild agreement with the prosecution.
Faced with political pressure last week, Trump instructed the Justice Department to request the release of sealed grand jury documents concerning Epstein.
On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Robin Rosenberg rejected one of the requests, determining that it did not qualify under any of the exceptions that allow grand jury information to remain confidential.
That motion originated from federal investigations of Epstein in 2005 and 2007, as stated in court records; the department has also asked for the release of transcripts from Manhattan federal court concerning subsequent charges filed against Epstein and Maxwell.
Last week, the Journal stated that Trump sent Epstein a suggestive birthday message in 2003, which concluded with, “Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.”
Has not verified the legitimacy of the claimed letter. Trump has filed a lawsuit against the Journal and its proprietors, including billionaire Rupert Murdoch, claiming that the birthday note was fabricated.
MAGA PUSHBACK
Trump and his advisors have consistently promoted conspiracy theories, including those related to Epstein, which have appealed to Trump’s core supporters. The broader rejection within the Make American Great Again movement of the administration’s claim that these theories are baseless is uncommon for a politician who typically enjoys largely unquestioned loyalty from his followers.
Epstein took his own life while in prison, as stated by the New York City chief medical examiner. However, his ties to affluent and influential people led to questions about whether his death was truly a suicide. This month, the Justice Department mentioned in a memo that it had determined Epstein died by his own actions.
As an indication of how the issue has troubled Trump and caused division among his Republican colleagues, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday suddenly announced he would send lawmakers back home for the summer a day early to prevent a floor debate on a vote regarding the Epstein documents.
His choice temporarily halted a effort by Democrats and certain Republicans to hold a vote on a bi-partisan measure that would compel the Justice Department to disclose all documents related to Epstein.
However, a subcommittee of the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday approved a subpoena to obtain all Justice Department records related to Epstein. Three Republicans supported the initiative alongside five Democrats, indicating that Trump’s party was not yet prepared to let go of the matter.
Trump, feeling hurt and annoyed due to the ongoing attention on the Epstein case, has tried to shift focus to different issues, such as baseless claims that former President Barack Obama sabotaged Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. The Obama administration dismissed these claims as “absurd.”
Over two-thirds of Americans think the Trump administration is keeping details about Epstein’s associates secret, as per a recent Ipsos survey.
(Produced by Andrew Goudsward in Washington and Joseph Ax in Princeton, New Jersey, additional input from Jeff Mason; edited by Scott Malone and Diane Craft)
