Trump’s ex-attorney general spared Epstein grilling, sparking cover-up claims

The Justice Department has argued that Pam Bondi no longer has to appear before Congress while lawmakers threaten contempt charges

Former US Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was fired by President Donald Trump last week, will not be required to testify about her handling of the investigation into late financier and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, the Justice Department (DOJ) has announced.

In a letter explaining the decision, the DOJ argued that Bondi was summoned to appear before Congress in her official capacity – a role she no longer holds – rendering the demand invalid. However, lawmakers from both parties have insisted that she remains legally obligated to appear.

“The removal of Pam Bondi as attorney general does not diminish the Committee’s legitimate oversight interests in seeking her sworn testimony,” Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace and her fellow legislator, Democrat Ro Khanna, have said.

Mace further stressed that Bondi “cannot escape accountability simply because she no longer holds the office,” and that her testimony is “even more important” now.

Democratic Representative Robert Garcia has threatened to initiate Congressional contempt proceedings if Bondi fails to appear, insisting she must “come in to testify immediately” about the Epstein files and the “White House cover-up.”

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Critics have also noted that the DOJ’s reasoning for letting Bondi off the hook contradicts the fact that six former attorney generals have already testified in the Epstein case, including Loretta Lynch, Eric Holder, Bill Barr, Merrick Garland, Jeff Sessions and Alberto Gonzales.

Bondi’s refusal comes as the Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein files has faced a mounting backlash ever since Congress passed a law last year requiring the DOJ to release all unclassified records related to the financier, who died in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

In February 2025, Bondi told Fox News that Epstein’s “client list” was “sitting on my desk right now to review,” fueling expectations of explosive revelations. By July, however, the DOJ announced that no such list ever existed and that it had no plans to release additional documents. 

Bondi’s refusal to publish the full Epstein files has been widely ridiculed, including by both Democrats and Republicans. The former official reportedly even had to move into military housing over mounting threats.

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It’s unclear if Bondi will ultimately be forced to testify, but the House Oversight Committee has continued its investigation into Epstein’s network of powerful associates. 

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is scheduled to testify in a closed‑door transcribed interview in June. Gates has not been accused of any misconduct, and his representatives say he “welcomes the opportunity to appear before the committee.” 

Other prominent figures who have already testified include former president Bill Clinton and ex-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Epstein’s accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, and billionaire Les Wexner.