Washinton DC: President Donald Trump on Tuesday publicly defended Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is facing mounting criticism from conservative commentators and far-right influencers following the Justice Department’s decision not to release additional documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein sex-trafficking case.

At a White House Cabinet meeting, Trump interrupted a reporter's question to Bondi about Epstein, dismissing the inquiry. “Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein? This guy's been talked about for years,” Trump said, calling the timing of the question inappropriate given national developments, particularly in Texas.

His comments suggest continued support for Bondi, despite backlash from his own political base. Critics had accused Bondi of overpromising on the release of explosive documents related to Epstein. The Justice Department on Monday issued a two-page memo stating that no further disclosures would be made. The memo clarified that no so-called “client list” exists, despite Bondi previously hinting on Fox News that such a document was “on her desk.”

This development angered supporters who had expected more revelations. Earlier in February, a group of far-right influencers were invited to the White House and given binders labelled “The Epstein Files: Phase 1,” but much of the material was already in the public domain. Bondi later said the FBI had handed over a "truckload" of evidence that was under review.

However, the Justice Department concluded after a months-long examination that most of the material was sealed by court orders to protect victims. The department said only a small portion of it would have been presented in court had Epstein stood trial. The only new disclosure was a video presented as proof that Epstein died by suicide in jail in 2019—an explanation that did little to quiet conspiracy theories suggesting he was murdered.

Bondi has since clarified that her earlier reference to a “list” referred to the broader case file, not a client list. She also stood by her prior comments about “tens of thousands” of videos allegedly involving Epstein, saying the government’s evidence included over 10,000 videos and images of child sexual abuse material that Epstein had downloaded.

The memo, however, made no suggestion that the videos showed Epstein directly with minors. Instead, it described the content as illegal pornography downloaded by Epstein.

Despite ongoing speculation and frustration online, Bondi has not stepped down, and Trump’s remarks appear to affirm her continued place in his administration.
(With AFP inputs)