In a confidential White House meeting in May, US Attorney General Pam Bondi informed President Donald Trump that his name had appeared in a batch of Jeffrey Epstein files not previously made public. The meeting, which included Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, covered multiple topics, but the mention of Trump’s name in relation to the Epstein case triggered unease. Both Bondi and Blanche had previously served as Trump’s personal legal advisors, and the matter was raised as part of a broader case review briefing, the New York Times reported.
Trump’s ties to Epstein resurface
Though Trump has long acknowledged a past friendship with Epstein—one that reportedly ended in the early 2000s—his name being found again in newly reviewed documents renewed political discomfort. Trump had once described Epstein as a “terrific guy” in 2002 and was known to attend the same social events. The White House has tried to distance Trump from the case, reiterating that Epstein was ejected from Mar-a-Lago for inappropriate behaviour, but public scrutiny has returned.
Public denial and internal contradiction
After news of the briefing leaked, Trump denied that Bondi had informed him about his name appearing in the files. When asked in June, he claimed she only discussed the “credibility” of some information in the case and dismissed the documents as Democrat propaganda. However, Bondi and Blanche released a statement confirming the briefing and stated, “Nothing in the files warranted further investigation or prosecution,” adding to confusion over what Trump knew and when.
DOJ closes case, backlash begins
On July 7, the US Justice Department and FBI quietly issued a memo closing the re-examination of the Epstein case, declaring there was no client list and reaffirming Epstein died by suicide in 2019. Citing victim privacy, they withheld the remaining documents. The decision drew fury from Trump’s base, many of whom believed that revealing the files would expose a global network of abusers. For supporters, the secrecy was viewed as betrayal.
Tension inside Trump’s team
Some of Trump’s appointees had publicly backed the idea of releasing the Epstein files. Now, they face backlash from within the conservative movement for backing away from that promise. Internal rifts reportedly grew between senior DOJ and FBI officials, who accused each other of mishandling the political impact. The West Wing, aware of the sensitivities, has been trying to limit further fallout while maintaining that Trump had no role in the decision to withhold documents.
A political liability that won’t go away
While Trump maintains he had a falling-out with Epstein decades ago, his supporters remain restless. Many are still pressing for the full release of the files, viewing them as proof of elite wrongdoing. Trump’s past remarks, such as wishing Ghislaine Maxwell “well,” haven’t helped calm critics. What began as a campaign promise for transparency has now turned into a point of suspicion within his own base. Unless the remaining files are released, the issue may continue to shadow Trump’s presidency.
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