Pam Bondi Backs Out of Anti-Trafficking Summit

Attorney General Pam Bondi abruptly canceled her appearance at a major anti-trafficking summit on Wednesday, citing a medical issue, just as a new report tied her directly to controversial decisions surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein case.

Bondi, 59, was scheduled to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference’s Summit Against Human Trafficking on July 23. Instead, Fox News reported she is recovering from a torn cornea. In her absence, acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti read a statement on her behalf.

“I’m sorry to miss all of my CPAC friends today,” Bondi’s statement read. “Unfortunately, I am recovering from a recently torn cornea, which is preventing me from being with you. I truly wish I was able to join you and support all of the work being done on this critical issue.”

A Justice Department spokesperson told PEOPLE that while Bondi’s injury will take time to heal, she “remains extremely active and available.” The DOJ did not provide further details on the timing or circumstances of her injury.

Bondi’s no-show came on the same day The Wall Street Journal published an explosive report claiming she privately informed President Donald Trump earlier this year that his name appeared “multiple times” in the unsealed Epstein files. According to the report, Bondi told Trump she had no intention of releasing further material related to the case, citing the presence of sensitive victim information and child pornography.

The White House quickly denounced the report as “another fake news story.”

Bondi has faced increasing backlash from both the public and Trump’s base over her handling of the Epstein investigation. Earlier this month, she and the FBI released a joint memo asserting that there was no incriminating “client list,” no credible evidence of blackmail by Epstein, and no grounds to pursue investigations against unnamed third parties.

But that stood in sharp contrast to Bondi’s own comments earlier this year, when she told Fox News that Epstein’s alleged client list was “sitting on my desk” awaiting review.

The Epstein files remain a flashpoint for many Republicans, especially those in the MAGA movement, who have long demanded full transparency about Epstein’s network and his connections to powerful figures. Trump himself promised during his 2024 campaign to release the full scope of Epstein-related evidence, and the GOP has made anti-trafficking initiatives a centerpiece of its platform.

Bondi’s decision to withhold further disclosures — and now the revelation that Trump may have been privately briefed about his own mentions in the files — is fueling fresh skepticism and anger among conservatives.

Asked by a reporter last week whether the DOJ ever informed him that his name appeared in the Epstein documents, Trump replied, “No,” according to PBS.

As the controversy continues to build, Bondi’s role in the handling of the Epstein case — and her absence from Wednesday’s summit — is drawing heightened scrutiny at a moment when public trust in the Justice Department remains deeply divided.