One of President Donald Trump’s most determined legal adversaries is now pursuing long-sought answers in the Epstein saga.
Norm Eisen—a former ethics czar in the Obama White House and a vocal critic of President Trump—has submitted an expansive Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. His target: internal documents from the Department of Justice and FBI that might mention disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and any potential references to Trump.
“The govt’s credibility is hanging by a thread—& now they’re pushing a lie the MAGA base isn’t even buying!“ Eisen posted on X. “We filed FOIAs to find the truth, because the Epstein files are real, & so is the Trump regime’s threat to democracy.”
In a Substack post, Eisen further stated, “The public needs to know what these files say about the most powerful man in the world—and what Trump’s appointees in government, such as Bove, Bondi, and FBI Director Kash Patel, knew and when they knew it.”
This new push comes as the administration grapples with backlash from within its own ranks. Many Trump-aligned conspiracy theorists have refused to accept a July 6 memo by the DOJ and FBI that concluded Epstein died by suicide in jail—and that no “client list” of elites exists. The decision has led to widespread outrage online, with some even demanding Attorney General Pam Bondi step down.
“Trump, of course, wants us to talk about anything but this,” Eisen commented.
As the controversy continues to swirl, earlier this month Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard accused former President Obama of orchestrating a “treasonous conspiracy” to fabricate Russian election interference—a claim widely condemned as a deflection from the Epstein fallout.
The FOIA request, filed through Eisen’s watchdog group, the Democracy Defenders Fund, is far-reaching. It seeks any Epstein-related materials reviewed by Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, FBI Director Kash Patel, and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino.
It also demands any internal communications involving Bondi that touch on how to “approach or address references to Donald Trump or Mar-a-Lago,” along with notes and materials from any relevant meetings.
According to reports, Bondi had informed Trump earlier this year that his name appears in some of the Epstein-related documents. Trump has denied that conversation ever took place. The Department of Justice has declined to comment.
Meanwhile, as speculation intensifies, Trump has seemingly tried to divert attention—most recently by suggesting Oprah Winfrey be prosecuted in connection with the Epstein matter. (Trump Floats Prosecuting Oprah as Latest Epstein Distraction)
Eisen is no stranger to legal showdowns with Trump. He was behind one of the earliest emoluments lawsuits against the president, and later served as special counsel to the House Judiciary Committee during Trump’s first impeachment. He documented that experience in his book, A Case for the American People.
He also co-founded the government accountability group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), where he focused on Trump’s business entanglements and alleged ethical violations throughout his presidency.
As of now, the White House has not issued a comment, and the DOJ has also declined to respond.
