President Donald Trump defended Attorney General Pam Bondi after a contentious House Judiciary Committee hearing focused on the Justice Department’s handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein, calling the proceedings a politically motivated attack and saying he was “100% exonerated.”
In a lengthy statement, Trump praised Bondi’s performance and accused Democrats of trying to revive allegations for political gain. He said Bondi faced “intense fire” during what he described as the “never ending saga” surrounding Epstein, and argued that the hearing underscored what he claimed was already settled: that he had been “100% exonerated” of what he called “Russia, Russia, Russia type charges.”
Trump’s remarks followed a four-hour hearing in which Bondi was sharply questioned by Democrats about how the department has managed and released investigative material tied to Epstein, the convicted sex offender whose case continues to draw scrutiny years after his death. The hearing also took place as the Justice Department faces broader criticism over recent decisions involving members of Congress and other high-profile cases.
During the hearing, Bondi declined to apologize to Epstein survivors who were present in the room. Lawmakers said she instead pressed Democrats to apologize to Trump. Her testimony included repeated defenses of departmental actions and statements supportive of the president, who has asserted significant influence over the Justice Department’s direction.
The Epstein files, once largely the subject of legal proceedings and online speculation, have increasingly become part of mainstream political debate. Lawmakers in both parties have called for greater transparency, while disagreeing over responsibility for past investigative choices and how much information should be made public.
Trump portrayed the controversy as an effort to distract from Republican policy priorities. He claimed that Epstein drew little attention while alive and became a political issue only when opponents believed it could harm him, arguing that the effort was “backfiring badly.”
He also expanded his criticism to Democrats more broadly, accusing them of enabling crime through border policies and attacking them over issues related to transgender participation in sports. He ended with his familiar sign-off: “Thank you for your attention to this matter! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP.”
The hearing highlighted how the Epstein case continues to reverberate in Washington, intersecting with debates over transparency, prosecutorial discretion, and the Justice Department’s independence. With congressional scrutiny continuing, the issue remains a flashpoint in the broader political fight between the administration and its critics.
