U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi informed President Donald Trump in May that his name appeared in investigative files pertaining to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as reported by the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday. This revelation concerning Trump’s presence in Justice Department case records has exacerbated a political crisis that has plagued his administration for weeks. For years, some of Trump’s supporters have propagated conspiracy theories regarding Epstein’s clients and the circumstances surrounding his 2019 death in prison.
The White House initially issued contradictory signals following the story. It released a statement categorizing the report as “fake news,” but a White House official later confirmed to Reuters that the administration was not denying Trump’s name appeared in some files. The official noted that Trump was already included in a set of materials Bondi had compiled in February for conservative influencers.
Trump’s Association with Epstein and Legal Proceedings
Trump, who maintained a friendly relationship with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s, is listed multiple times on flight logs for Epstein’s private plane during the 1990s. Trump and several members of his family also appear in an Epstein contact book, alongside hundreds of others. Much of this material had already been publicly disclosed in the criminal case against Epstein’s former associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison following her conviction for child sex trafficking and other offenses. During her trial, Epstein’s long-time pilot testified that Trump had flown on Epstein’s private plane on several occasions. Trump has denied being on the plane. Reuters was unable to immediately verify the Journal’s report.
Trump has faced significant backlash from his own supporters after his administration reversed a campaign promise by stating it would not release the full Epstein files. Earlier this month, the Justice Department issued a memo declaring there was no basis to continue probing the Epstein case, a decision that sparked anger among some prominent Trump supporters who demanded more information about wealthy and powerful individuals associated with Epstein.
Trump has not been accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein and has stated that their friendship concluded before Epstein’s initial legal troubles began two decades ago. Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche released a joint statement that did not directly address the Journal’s report. The officials asserted, “Nothing in the files warranted further investigation or prosecution, and we have filed a motion in court to unseal the underlying grand jury transcripts.” They added, “As part of our routine briefing, we made the President aware of the findings.”
Names in Files and Enduring Conspiracy Theories
The newspaper reported that Bondi and her deputy informed Trump during a White House meeting that his name, along with those of “many other high-profile figures,” appeared in the files.
Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, to which he had pleaded not guilty. In a separate case, Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to a prostitution charge in Florida, receiving a 13-month sentence in what is now widely considered an overly lenient deal with prosecutors.
Last week, under political pressure, Trump directed the Justice Department to seek the release of sealed grand jury transcripts related to Epstein. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Robin Rosenberg denied one of those requests, ruling that it did not fall under any of the exceptions to rules requiring grand jury material to remain secret. That motion stemmed from federal investigations into Epstein in 2005 and 2007, according to court documents; the department has also requested the unsealing of transcripts in Manhattan federal court related to later indictments brought against Epstein and Maxwell.
Last week, the Journal also reported that Trump had sent Epstein a provocative birthday note in 2003, which concluded with, “Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.” Reuters has not confirmed the authenticity of the alleged letter. Trump has since sued the Journal and its owners, including billionaire Rupert Murdoch, asserting that the birthday note was fake.
MAGA Pushback and Political Divides
Trump and his advisors have long engaged in conspiracy theories, including those about Epstein, which have resonated with Trump’s political base. The Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement’s broad refusal to accept his administration’s argument that these theories are now unfounded is unusual for a politician accustomed to relatively unchallenged loyalty from his supporters.
According to the New York City chief medical examiner, Epstein died by suicide in prison. However, his connections with wealthy and powerful individuals fueled speculation that his death was not a suicide. The Justice Department, in its memo this month, concluded that Epstein died by his own hand.
In a clear sign of how this issue has vexed Trump and divided his fellow Republicans, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson abruptly announced on Tuesday that he would send lawmakers home for the summer a day early. This move aimed to avoid a floor fight over a vote on the Epstein files, temporarily stalling efforts by Democrats and some Republicans to vote on a bipartisan resolution that would mandate the Justice Department release all Epstein-related documents.
Nevertheless, a subcommittee of the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday approved a subpoena seeking all Justice Department files on Epstein. Three Republicans joined five Democrats in backing this effort, signaling that Trump’s party is not yet ready to move past the issue.
Trump, evidently stung and frustrated by the continued focus on the Epstein story, has sought to deflect attention to other topics, including unfounded accusations that former President Barack Obama undermined Trump’s successful 2016 presidential campaign. Obama’s office dismissed these allegations as “ridiculous.” A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted last week indicated that more than two-thirds of Americans believe the Trump administration is withholding information about Epstein’s clients.
