President Donald Trump will not push for Attorney General Pam Bondi to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate his administration’s management of the Jeffrey Epstein files, as the controversy consumes Congress and his MAGA base.
“The president would not recommend a special prosecutor in the Epstein case. That’s how he feels,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Thursday.
Trump told reporters earlier this week that appointing a special prosecutor, a response some of his supporters, from Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) to Laura Loomer, are demanding, was not under his purview.
The White House has not been able to downplay complaints regarding the administration’s handling of the files after the FBI last week released a memo finding Epstein committed suicide in 2019 and was not murdered, in addition to him not having a client list. Bondi in February told Fox News that the client list was “on her desk” for review, but insisted last week she was referring to the entirety of the Epstein files.
Criticism of the Trump administration over the Epstein files does not end at Boebert and Loomer, with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) calling for more transparency.
Johnson and his aides on Thursday were discussing the possibility of an Epstein non-binding resolution to counter transparency concerns, as Democrats on the House Rules Committee keep introducing Epstein-related amendments that Republican members of the panel have to vote against. The Democratic strategy has delayed a Rules Committee meeting over Trump’s rescissions package to repeal congressionally approved spending that the Department of Government Efficiency has identified as wasteful, which needs to be passed by Friday.
At the same time, more Republicans have endorsed a discharge petition from Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) to compel the administration to release the Epstein files, including GOP lawmakers hoping to defend competitive seats in next year’s midterm elections. That discharge petition could ripen as soon as next Thursday if the House is in session until tomorrow. If the House recesses on Thursday, the measure will not ripen until after the August recess.
Meanwhile, Senate Democrats are similarly trying to force their own vote on the Epstein files, with Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) advocating for the Trump administration to “follow the money” and investigate Epstein’s financial transactions like he did on his panel.
“We made clear that what the Trump people are saying that there’s nothing to investigate is ludicrous,” Wyden told the Washington Examiner. “We have thousands of wire transfers, many of which we believe involve questionable activities, promoting sex trafficking, possible tax evasion, and the like.
“And we have given to the Trump people … the files and material that we think are actionable. They’ve refused to do anything… If you don’t want to do it, give the documents to the Finance Committee and let us do it.”
Back at the White House, Leavitt declined to directly answer when asked whether Trump believes justice has been served regarding Epstein.
“The president believes he directed the Justice Department to do an exhaustive and thorough review, and they did that,” she said, adding DOJ and FBI “all agree” on the memo they released, despite FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino last week considering resigning over it.
Leavitt also indicated that Trump does not know what remains to be released in the Epstein files and that judicial action may be required for the administration to release a redacted version of them.
“A judge would have to approve it. That’s out of the president’s control,” she said. “Not to my knowledge, and that’s a question for the attorney general.”
Trump has become increasingly frustrated regarding repeated questions about Epstein, what he has dismissed as a “hoax,” ending in this week describing Republicans who are requesting more information “stupid” and foolish.”
A day later, Leavitt remained adamant that when Trump used the word “hoax” regarding Epstein, he meant Democratic posturing about the convicted sex offender. She, too, underscored that the public should “trust” Trump regarding the files.
“The president is referring to the fact that Democrats have now seized on this, as if they ever wanted transparency when it comes to Jeffrey Epstein, which is an asinine suggestion for any Democrat to make,” the press secretary said. “The Democrats had control of this building — the White House — for four years and didn’t do a dang thing when it came to transparency in regards to Jeffrey Epstein and his heinous crimes.”
She added, “So, the president has been transparent and followed through his promises to the American people, but he doesn’t like to see is Democrats and the mainstream media covering this like it is the biggest or the American people care about.”
