Trump Urges Attorney General to Release Any ‘Credible’ information on Epstein

By Faith Barbara N Ruhinda Updated at 1456 EAT on Wednesday 16 July 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump has said Attorney General Pam Bondi should release “whatever she thinks is credible” regarding the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as he faces rare criticism from within his political base for appearing to distance himself from the case.

Bondi has come under fire from some of Trump’s supporters after her department recently stated there is no evidence that Epstein maintained a “client list.” The remark appeared to contradict earlier comments she and other Trump allies had made, in which they advocated for the release of more information tied to the case.

On Tuesday, Trump expressed confusion over the public’s sustained interest in the matter. “I don’t understand what the interest or what the fascination is,” he said, while also publicly defending Bondi’s handling of the situation.

She’s handled it very well, and it’s going to be up to her,” he told reporters. “Whatever she thinks is credible, she should release.”

When asked by a journalist if the attorney general had told Trump whether his name appeared in any of the records, he said: “No, no.”

During his later comments, the president questioned the enduring fascination with the Epstein case, calling it “sordid but boring”.

“Only really bad people, including the fake news, want to keep something like this going,” Trump said.

While campaigning last year, Trump promised to release files relating to the disgraced financier. The issue re-emerged earlier this year amid his public spat with his former adviser Elon Musk.

Some of Trump’s key allies, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, have continued to call for full transparency regarding the Epstein case.

Trump’s remarks defending Bondi came in response to a reporter’s question noting that even his own daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, has publicly urged the release of more information.

Jeffrey Epstein died in a New York prison cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. His death came more than a decade after his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor, a case that led to his registration as a sex offender.

Earlier this month, the Department of Justice and the FBI released a two-page memo stating that investigators found no “incriminating list” of clients and “no credible evidence” that Epstein had blackmailed powerful individuals.

Officials also released surveillance footage that they say supports the medical examiner’s conclusion that Epstein died by suicide while in custody at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York.

Despite the findings, conspiracy theories persist—fuelled by Epstein’s extensive network of high-profile connections. Some theorists claim he was murdered to prevent him from implicating politicians, celebrities, and business elites allegedly linked to his crimes.

FBI Director Kash Patel and his deputy, Dan Bongino—both former Trump allies—had previously cast doubt on the official narrative surrounding Epstein’s death. However, since joining the Trump administration, both have acknowledged that Epstein died by suicide.

The recently released DOJ memo further notes that investigators “did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.”

Despite these findings, speculation continues within Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. Many supporters believe crucial details of Epstein’s crimes remain hidden to shield influential individuals or intelligence agencies from scrutiny.

In recent days, Trump has expressed frustration over the public’s ongoing focus on the case, urging people to move on. However, not all of his Republican allies are willing to let it go.

Some of the current pressure on Attorney General Pam Bondi stems from remarks she made in February during a Fox News interview, where she said of the alleged Epstein client list: “It’s sitting on my desk right now to review.”

In an interview on Tuesday with US conservative commentator Benny Johnson, Speaker Johnson stressed that he trusted Trump and his team, and that the White House was privy to facts that he did not know.

But, he said, Bondi “needs to come forward and explain it to everybody”.

“We should put everything out there and let the people decide,” Johnson said.

Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene told Benny Johnson in a separate interview: “I fully support transparency on this issue.”

She praised Bondi’s work as attorney general, but said that leaders and elected officials should keep their promises to voters.

Another conservative Republican, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, said if more Epstein files were not released, a special counsel should be appointed to investigate the financier’s crimes.

At an unrelated press conference on fentanyl held Tuesday, Attorney General Pam Bondi declined to address the ongoing controversy surrounding the Epstein case.

“Nothing about Epstein,” she told reporters. “I’m not going to talk about Epstein.”

Bondi said last week’s memo from the Department of Justice—released jointly with the FBI—“speaks for itself.” The memo confirmed Epstein’s death by suicide and stated that no additional files would be released. According to the document, the government’s findings were based on a review of more than 300 gigabytes of data.

Meanwhile, House Democrats attempted—unsuccessfully—to force a vote on releasing the Epstein files.

Republicans pushed back, noting that President Joe Biden’s Democratic administration also had access to the same files and similarly chose not to make them public.

Invest or Donate towards HICGI New Agency Global Media Establishment – Watch video here