President Donald Trump has urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to disclose any credible information related to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as criticism mounts from his own political base over the handling of the case.
Bondi’s office recently stated there was no evidence that Epstein maintained a so-called “client list,” contradicting her past remarks and undermining earlier calls by Trump allies demanding full transparency.
Facing backlash, Trump on Tuesday expressed confusion over the public’s continued focus on Epstein, saying he did not grasp “what the fascination is” with the case. Nevertheless, he reiterated his support for Bondi, adding she should release any details she deems credible.
“She’s handled it very well, and it’s going to be up to her,” he told reporters. “Whatever she thinks is credible, she should release.”
When asked by a journalist if the attorney general had told Trump whether his name appeared in any of the records, he said: “No, no.”
During his later comments, the president questioned the enduring fascination with the Epstein case, calling it “sordid but boring”.
“Only really bad people, including the fake news, want to keep something like this going,” Trump said.
While campaigning last year, Trump promised to release files relating to the disgraced financier. The issue re-emerged earlier this year amid his public spat with his former adviser Elon Musk.
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Certain key Trump allies, including House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, continue to call for transparency.
Trump’s comments in defence of Bondi were in response to a reporter who had pointed out that the president’s own daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, too, had publicly asked for transparency.
Jeffrey Epstein’s death inside a New York jail cell in 2019 closed one chapter in a sordid saga, but fresh questions over the late sex offender’s alleged ties to powerful figures continue to roil US politics — and now threaten to divide President Donald Trump’s conservative base.
Epstein, who took his own life while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, had previously served time after a 2008 conviction for procuring a minor for prostitution — a deal that sparked outrage and conspiracy theories that persist today.
Earlier this month, the Justice Department and FBI sought to draw a final line under the scandal. A brief memo confirmed that investigators had uncovered no “incriminating client list” and no credible evidence that Epstein ever blackmailed elites. The same note reiterated that surveillance footage supported the conclusion of suicide at Manhattan’s Metropolitan Correctional Center.
Still, Epstein’s grim legacy remains fertile ground for speculation. Despite FBI Director Kash Patel and his deputy Dan Bongino both acknowledging the official account since joining Trump’s administration, they had once voiced doubts about the circumstances surrounding Epstein’s death.
Inside Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) circle, suspicions linger that critical details about Epstein’s network — including potential protection of celebrities, politicians or even intelligence agencies — remain buried.
As unease flares, Trump this week signaled exasperation at renewed calls for answers, repeating that Attorney General Pam Bondi should release anything credible but otherwise urging his base to move past what he described as a fascination out of step with the facts.
Yet prominent Republican allies continue to demand more, arguing that closing the file now does little to satisfy Americans who believe Epstein’s secrets went to the grave with him.