President Donald Trump on Tuesday mentioned Lawyer Common Pam Bondi ought to launch “no matter she thinks is credible” on Jeffrey Epstein as he faces stress from his MAGA supporters.
Trump, talking to reporters as he left the White Home, mentioned he obtained a “very fast briefing” on the Justice Division and FBI evaluation of the Epstein information. The briefing occurred earlier than the discharge of the DOJ and FBI memo final week.
The evaluation discovered no proof the deceased financier stored a “consumer listing” of associates and no additional prices are anticipated. The division additionally launched hours of footage as a part of its evaluation, which officers say additional confirmed Epstein died by suicide whereas in custody in his jail cell in Manhattan in 2019.
ABC Information’ Katherine Faulders requested the president what Bondi instructed him concerning the evaluation, “particularly, did she let you know in any respect that your title appeared within the information?”
“No, no, she’s — she’s given us only a very fast briefing,” Trump responded earlier than making baseless claims the information have been created by a few of his political foes.
“And when it comes to the credibility of the various things that they’ve seen, and I might say that, you realize, these information have been made up by Comey, they have been made up by Obama, they have been made up by the Biden — and you realize, we and we went by way of years of that with the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax, with all the various things that we needed to undergo,” Trump mentioned.
“We have gone by way of years of it, however she’s dealt with it very properly, and it may be as much as her,” Trump mentioned of Bondi. “No matter she thinks is credible, she ought to launch.”
Bondi, when requested about Trump’s feedback to ABC Information, mentioned she hadn’t but seen the president’s feedback however added that the DOJ and FBI memo “speaks for itself.”
Donald Trump speaks to reporters on his solution to board Marine One on the South Garden of the White Home on July 15, 2025, in Washington, DC.
Jim Watson/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
Trump is dealing with outrage amongst his MAGA base over the administration’s dealing with of the Epstein information. It is also led to some infighting inside his administration, as Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino had a fiery confrontation with Bondi over the matter, ABC Information reported.
Amid requires her resignation, Bondi mentioned defiantly on Tuesday: “I will be right here for so long as the president needs me right here, and I imagine he is made that crystal clear.”
When requested concerning the rift between her and Bongino, Bondi mentioned she would not talk about personnel issues.
“I used to be with [FBI] Director [Kash] Patel all morning and we’re dedicated to holding America protected, making America protected, working with our unbelievable companions at DEA, FBI, ATF, U.S. Marshals to do the whole lot we are able to to make America protected and that is what we’re centered on,” she mentioned at an occasion on the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Trump sought to quiet the revolt over the weekend by posting a prolonged protection of Bondi and urging his administration to give attention to different priorities.
However the feedback continued to pour in, together with warnings from a few of Trump’s prime defenders that the problem will not be going away and will have penalties in subsequent yr’s midterm elections.
Lara Trump, the president’s daughter-in-law and a Fox Information host, instructed MAGA influencer Benny Johnson on Monday that she believed there did should be “extra transparency” relating to the administration’s dealing with of the Epstein case.
Trump was requested on Tuesday what he thought of her remarks.
“The lawyer common’s dealt with that very properly. She’s actually finished an excellent job,” Trump mentioned. “And I believe that once you take a look at it, you may perceive that. I wish to see that additionally. However I believe the lawyer common, the credibility is essential. And, you need credible proof or one thing like that. And I believe the lawyer common has dealt with it very properly.”
In the meantime, on Capitol Hill, some Republican lawmakers expressed curiosity in Epstein’s convicted affiliate, Ghislaine Maxwell, testifying earlier than Congress.
Sen. Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican, mentioned he believed the whole lot on Epstein ought to be out within the open.
“I believe all these items must be public,” Hawley mentioned. “I imply, I believe all the all of the paperwork, ought to all be public. I believe we would all must be out within the open. I am a giant fan of declassifying — I believe this is not technically labeled. It is simply, you realize, shut maintain for prosecution, however I believe we must put all of it on the market.”
Although Rep. Jim Jordan, the chairman of the Home Judiciary Committee, instructed ABC Information he had “complete confidence in President Trump and his crew” relating to the Epstein matter.
ABC Information’ Luke Barr, Lauren Peller and Isabella Murray contributed to this report.
