Former Attorney General Pam Bondi defended the Department of Justice's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files in a House committee interview, while admitting to "redaction errors" that exposed victims' data. Citing her voluntary appearance, she refused to answer questions about President Trump's involvement. Democrats criticized the interview as a "sham," while Epstein survivors gathered at the Capitol to advocate for transparency and justice.
Bondi Capitol Hill testimony
- ▪Former Attorney General Pam Bondi appeared before the House Oversight Committee on May 29, 2026, for a closed-door, transcribed interview
- ▪Pam Bondi stated she delegated oversight of the Epstein file release process to then-Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who is now the acting attorney general
- ▪Pam Bondi defended the Department of Justice's work on the Epstein files, claiming it demonstrated "an unprecedented commitment to transparency."
Trump involvement questions
- ▪Pam Bondi refused to answer questions from lawmakers about her conversations with President Donald Trump regarding the Epstein files
- ▪Accompanied by a Department of Justice lawyer, Pam Bondi cited her voluntary appearance as justification for declining to answer questions about President Trump
- ▪In her opening statement, Pam Bondi asserted that "justice and transparency" in the Epstein matter were "delivered at the direction of President Trump and his administration."
Epstein files redaction errors
- ▪The Justice Department's release of the files was delayed and included personal information and nude photos of several potential victims
- ▪The Department of Justice missed the Epstein Files Transparency Act's December 19 deadline, instead releasing the files on January 31
- ▪Pam Bondi conceded that the Department of Justice made "redaction errors" in its release of the Epstein case files
Survivors advocacy at Capitol
- ▪The survivors confronted committee chair Rep. James Comer, who told them he would press for the complete release of the case files
- ▪Survivor Maria Farmer released a statement saying Pam Bondi's "continued evasion of questions" was a "pattern of behavior."
- ▪Several survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse gathered outside the Capitol office where Pam Bondi's interview was taking place
Congressional subpoena enforcement dispute
- ▪After President Trump removed Pam Bondi from her role, Democrats filed a civil contempt of Congress resolution against her
- ▪Pam Bondi agreed to a transcribed interview rather than a sworn deposition, an arrangement Democrats criticized for allowing her to decline questions
- ▪The House Oversight Committee subpoenaed Pam Bondi in March in a bipartisan vote while she was still attorney general
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