“LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE”
It marked the first time Trump’s officials had publicly refuted the stories – pushed for years by numerous right-wing figures, notably including the FBI’s top two officials, before Trump hired them.
Beyond angering supporters, the issue has opened a schism within his administration, sparking a fiery blow-up between Bondi and Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino, who is said to be considering resigning.
Trump’s attempts to take the sting out of the controversy have largely failed, with far right influencers continuing to criticize him online.
Even his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, a Fox News host, has called for “more transparency” from the administration.
Trump’s most powerful ally in the US Congress, House Speaker Mike Johnson, pushed Tuesday for the administration to release more information about the case, and his stance has been echoed by multiple Republicans.
“We should put everything out there and let the people decide,” he told MAGA influencer Benny Johnson’s internet show, calling on Bondi to “come forward and explain” apparent discrepancies in her statements about the case.
Bondi told Fox News in February a list of Epstein clients was on her desk for review, before backtracking and saying that no such list existed.
Epstein died by suicide in a New York prison in 2019 after being charged with sex trafficking.
Trump – who has denied visiting the US Virgin Islands home where prosecutors say Epstein sex trafficked underage girls – said ahead of his election he would have “no problem” releasing files related to the case.
Asked whether Bondi had told him if his name appeared in a file related to Epstein, Trump said “no,” adding that Bondi has “given us just a very quick briefing”.
