Former Legal professional Common Pam Bondi instructed members of the Home Oversight Committee Friday that the Justice Division had launched all of the paperwork required by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, however that she didn’t lead each side of the method, in accordance with a replica of her ready opening assertion.
After a tumultuous 12 months on the DOJ that was largely outlined by her controversial dealing with of the Epstein files, Bondi participated in a virtually four-hour closed-door interview with the Home Oversight panel Friday.
“As the top of a giant Division with broad obligations, I didn’t lead each side of this effort or conduct that doc evaluate myself,” Bondi mentioned, in accordance with her ready opening assertion. “I delegated oversight over this course of to Deputy Legal professional Common Todd Blanche.”
Following her look, Bondi, in a social media publish, disputed Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia’s declare that she “continues to push all the investigation and the blame on Appearing AG Todd Blanche.”
“NOT TRUE,” Bondi posted. “I praised Appearing AG Blanche’s administration of this Herculean job. I mentioned his ethics are past reproach and that he’s an unbelievable Legal professional Common.”
The second Trump cupboard official to testify behind closed doorways as a part of the Oversight Committee’s yearlong Epstein probe, Bondi was anticipated to face questions on reneging on her promise to publicly launch the DOJ’s information on convicted intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein, which finally prompted Congress to move the Epstein Information Transparency Act forcing the discharge of tens of millions of paperwork.
As Bondi walked into the listening to room Friday morning, a gaggle of Epstein survivors shouted, “Inform the reality.” She didn’t reply questions from reporters.
Former U.S. Legal professional Common Pam Bondi arrives to testify at a closed-door interview with the Home Oversight Committee on Capitol Hill, Might 29, 2026 in Washington
Andrew Harnik/Getty Photographs
“Earlier than we begin as we speak, I wish to reiterate what I’ve mentioned many occasions concerning the Division’s dealing with throughout my tenure as Legal professional Common of the voluminous supplies that are actually generally often called the Epstein Information,” Bondi instructed the panel in accordance with her ready remarks. “To one of the best of my information, the Division produced every part required beneath the Epstein Information Transparency Act.”
“There have been redaction errors,” the previous lawyer common mentioned. “However since day considered one of this course of, this Division has been dedicated to accountability and transparency.”
Trump removed Bondi as lawyer common in April after sources mentioned he grew pissed off along with her dealing with of the Epstein information and the unsuccessful prosecutions of his perceived political opponents.
“Pam Bondi is a Nice American Patriot and a loyal buddy, who faithfully served as my Legal professional Common over the previous 12 months,” Trump wrote on social media asserting her departure. “We love Pam, and she or he will likely be transitioning to a a lot wanted and vital new job within the personal sector, to be introduced at a date within the close to future.”
Earlier this week, Axios reported that Trump had appointed Bondi to serve on an advisory panel on AI coverage, tasked with coordinating cooperation between the federal government and tech leaders.
In an uncommon association, a DOJ spokesperson mentioned that Bondi could be accompanied throughout Friday’s transcribed interview by Assistant Legal professional Common for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon and different DOJ personnel, with a purpose to “help the Committee in understanding the Division’s function in implementing and complying with the Epstein Information Transparency Act throughout her tenure.”
“As a result of former Legal professional Common Bondi oversaw the Division on the time the Act was enacted and carried out, DOJ’s presence is solely to make sure correct illustration of Division processes, facilitate any essential clarifications, and help an entire factual file for the Committee,” a DOJ spokesperson mentioned in a press release earlier this week.
The DOJ initially sought to have Bondi avoid appearing by arguing that the subpoena the committee issued “not obligates her to look” since she left the function of lawyer common. Bondi finally agreed to testify voluntarily after the highest Democrat on the committee launched a decision to carry her in contempt for failing to look.
Shortly after starting her tenure as lawyer common final 12 months, Bondi confronted instant strain from Trump’s MAGA followers and others to start releasing the DOJ’s information from its investigations of Epstein and his associates. Talking to Fox Information in February 2025, Bondi mentioned Epstein’s shopper checklist was “sitting on my desk proper now to evaluate” and mentioned the discharge of the information was a “directive by President Trump.”
Nevertheless, when the DOJ launched the “first part” of the Epstein information that month — inviting, with nice fanfare, conservative influencers to obtain the information — it was decided that almost each doc launched was already public. By July, the Division of Justice and FBI mentioned in a joint memo that no additional paperwork could be launched, citing sufferer privateness and the assertion that the paperwork warranted no additional investigations — a choice that sparked backlash from a lot of the MAGA base.
“To that finish, whereas now we have labored to offer the general public with most data concerning Epstein and ensured examination of any proof within the authorities’s possession, it’s the willpower of the Division of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation that no additional disclosure could be acceptable or warranted,” the memo mentioned.
Bondi later defended her assertion about Epstein’s shopper checklist by clarifying she was referring to the Epstein information typically together with different information launched by the Trump administration, together with paperwork associated to JFK and MLK Jr. The DOJ/FBI memo additionally mentioned that their evaluate of the information “revealed no incriminating ‘shopper checklist'” and no proof that Epstein blackmailed outstanding people.
Regardless of the memo stating that no additional investigation was warranted, Trump in November ordered Bondi to research Epstein’s ties to Bill Clinton and different outstanding Democrats. On the time, Bondi mentioned the DOJ would “pursue this with urgency and integrity” and assigned the matter to the U.S. lawyer in Manhattan.
The Justice Division’s subsequent release of Epstein files following the passage of the Epstein Information Transparency Act prompted bipartisan criticism when the DOJ improperly redacted information — each exposing sufferer identities whereas concealing different data — and declined to launch tens of millions of further information by claiming they had been duplicative, privileged or contained delicate sufferer data.
Bondi’s deputy and successor, now-acting Legal professional Common Todd Blanche, acknowledged the discharge of delicate sufferer data was “horrible” and “inexcusable.”
He mentioned the DOJ is completed investigating Epstein.
“And so I believe that to the extent that the Epstein information was part of the previous 12 months of this Justice Division, it shouldn’t be part of something going ahead,” Blanche mentioned in April.
