President Donald Trump came to the defense of Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday, saying she’s done a “very good job” in handling the Jeffrey Epstein case and placing the blame for the controversy squarely on Democrats and former deep state officials.
“The credibility is very important. You want credible evidence for something like that,” Trump told reporters outside the White House. “And I think the attorney general has handled it very well.”
Trump said Bondi gave him a “very quick briefing” on the matter and emphasized that “the files were made up by Comey, they were made up by Obama, they were made up by the Biden administration.”
“We’ve gone through years of this kind of thing—Russia, Russia, Russia, Ukraine, impeachment hoaxes—and now they’re doing it again with Epstein,” Trump said. “The same people, the same playbook.”
The president insisted Bondi should only release “what she thinks is credible,” adding that the DOJ’s claims about the lack of evidence or a client list are likely part of a continued cover-up by entrenched bureaucrats trying to protect powerful Democrats.
Trump says AG Bondi has done “very well” handling the Epstein case. He then suggests that the Epstein files were “made up” by Democrats, including Obama, Biden, and Comey. pic.twitter.com/Pl8nC2IVzi
— Zach Jewell (@zach_d_jewell) July 15, 2025
The controversy exploded last week after FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino reportedly threatened to resign over what he viewed as Bondi’s mishandling of the Epstein investigation. Sources say Bongino, a longtime ally of Trump, grew frustrated after months of promises failed to produce meaningful disclosures. Both Bongino and FBI Director Kash Patel previously stated they found no evidence Epstein was murdered, and the DOJ recently claimed there is no client list or blackmail operation on record.
The lack of significant new revelations, despite Bondi’s earlier promise of major bombshells, has caused friction within Trump’s administration. In February, the White House distributed binders to right-wing influencers titled “The Epstein Files: Phase 1” — but the materials included no explosive evidence and were seen by many as underwhelming.
Bondi has also walked back her February statement that Epstein’s client list was “on her desk,” sparking criticism from conservative commentators.
Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro blasted Bondi this week, calling the rollout of information a “botchery,” and saying, “People were told there was more coming — thousands of hours of tape, a list, major updates — and then… nothing.”
Despite internal tensions, the White House appears determined to hold the line. Vice President JD Vance has reportedly been working behind the scenes to ease the standoff between Bongino and Bondi, while Trump continues to back all involved — and redirect the blame toward Obama-era officials and the Biden White House.
As one senior administration official put it: “The Epstein case was never going to be clean. What matters now is holding the people who covered it up accountable — and that starts with exposing the original hoaxers.”