Attorney General Pam Bondi informed President Donald Trump in May that his name appeared in documents reviewed as part of the Justice Department’s investigation into the Jeffrey Epstein case, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
The disclosure came during what officials described as a “routine briefing” also attended by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. Trump was told that numerous high-profile individuals were mentioned in the Epstein files, which included unverified claims the department deemed not credible, among them, those involving Trump.
Two White House officials said the meeting focused broadly on the department’s findings and did not center specifically on Trump. Still, the revelation contradicts Trump’s recent public denial that he was informed his name was in the files.
“No, no. She’s given us just a very quick briefing,” Trump said last week when asked about Bondi’s notification.
Officials were reportedly frustrated that Bondi did not redact Trump’s name from materials made publicly available earlier this year, including a set of binders distributed to conservative influencers in February.
Communications Director Steven Cheung also defended the president, stating:“The fact is that the President kicked him out of his club for being a creep.”Sources inside the Justice Department confirmed that investigators found no so-called “client list” and no evidence to challenge the official ruling that Epstein died by suicide in 2019.
The controversy has placed Trump at odds with parts of his base, who have pushed for full transparency on the Epstein case. It has also triggered rare bipartisan pressure on Capitol Hill. On Wednesday(July 23), a House Oversight subcommittee voted to subpoena the DOJ for additional documents.
Adding to the pressure, a recent Wall Street Journal report described a 2003 birthday gift to Epstein, an album allegedly containing a letter with Trump’s name and a sketch of a nude woman. Trump has denied writing the letter and is suing the Journal over the publication.
In a joint statement, Bondi and Blanche said:
“Nothing in the files warranted further investigation or prosecution. As part of our routine briefing, we made the President aware of the findings.”
Still, the political fallout is far from over. Within the White House, officials worry that the Epstein coverage is eclipsing policy wins and feeding narratives damaging to Trump’s 2024 campaign footing.
