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 from the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday.
The revelation of Trump’s involvement in the Justice Department’s case files risked escalating a political crisis that has been affecting his administration for weeks. For years, some Trump supporters have spread conspiracy theories regarding Epstein’s associates 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 “fake news,” but a representative from the White House later informed Reuters that the administration was not refuting the presence of Trump’s name in certain documents, adding that Trump had already been part of a set of materials Bondi compiled in February for conservative advocates.
Trump, who maintained a relationship 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 related offenses.
During her trial, Epstein’s long-time pilot stated that Trump traveled on Epstein’s private jet on several occasions. Trump has denied ever being on the plane.
Reuters was unable to confirm the Journal’s report right away.
Trump has encountered strong criticism from his own backers following his administration’s decision not to disclose the documents, going back on a campaign 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 additional details about affluent and 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 instance, Epstein admitted guilt in 2008 to a prostitution charge in Florida and was given a 13-month sentence, which is now commonly seen as a too mild agreement with the prosecutors.
Due to 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 agency 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.”
Reuters 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 message was fabricated.
MAGA PUSHBACK
Trump and his advisors have consistently promoted conspiracy theories, particularly regarding Epstein, which have appealed to Trump’s core supporters. The broader rejection within the “Make American Great Again” movement of the claim that these theories are baseless is uncommon for a politician who typically benefits from strong, unquestioning support 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. The Justice Department mentioned in a recent memo that it has 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 concerning the Epstein files.
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 materials 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 willing to let go of the matter.
Trump, hurt and annoyed by the ongoing attention on the Epstein case, has tried to shift focus to other issues, such as baseless claims that former President Barack Obama sabotaged Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. The Obama administration dismissed these claims as “nonsense.”
Over two-thirds of Americans think the Trump administration is concealing details about Epstein’s associates, as per a recent Reuters/Ipsos survey.
