US Legal professional Common Pam Bondi speaks about latest drug enforcement actions throughout a information convention on the Drug Enforcement Administration headquarters in Arlington, Va., on Tuesday.
Saul Loeb/AFP by way of Getty Photos
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Saul Loeb/AFP by way of Getty Photos
Legal professional Common Pam Bondi on Tuesday refused to deal with questions on her dealing with of the Justice Division’s recordsdata from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation or about her reported rift with FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino.
Bondi has come underneath intense criticism from many within the MAGA motion for the reason that Justice Division launched a memo final week detailing its overview of the Epstein recordsdata. The 2-page doc mentioned the division discovered no proof of an Epstein shopper listing and that no further recordsdata from the investigation can be made public.
These findings, which contradicted a few of Bondi’s personal previous statements and guarantees of transparency, touched off fury amongst many supporters of President Trump. Some distinguished figures within the MAGA trustworthy, together with far-right activist Laura Loomer, have referred to as for Bondi to resign.
At a information convention Tuesday on the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bondi was requested how she would reply to MAGA’s frustrations along with her particularly.
“We’ll struggle to maintain America secure once more and we’re preventing collectively as a group. That is what’s so essential proper now,” Bondi replied.
“We have a battle on medicine, we have a battle on human trafficking, we have cartels on this nation and we have international adversaries round this world as nicely and we’re all going to work collectively as a group to struggle to maintain America secure once more and I can inform you that is what we’re all dedicated to.”
Regardless of Bondi’s efforts to maneuver on, the Epstein matter doesn’t look like going away. Home Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., a prime Trump ally, threw his weight behind releasing the recordsdata.
“I am for transparency,” Johnson instructed right-wing podcaster Benny Johnson on Tuesday.
“It is a very delicate topic however we should always put every little thing on the market and let the folks resolve it,” Johnson mentioned. “The White Home and the White Home group are aware about details that I do not know. I imply, this is not my lane and I have never been concerned with that, however I agree with the sentiment that we have to put it on the market.”
A reported conflict over personnel on the FBI
Bondi mentioned she spent the morning working with FBI Director Kash Patel, however she wouldn’t tackle stories a couple of conflict final week with Bongino, the FBI’s no. 2 official, over the Epstein recordsdata.
Requested whether or not Bongino ought to keep in his job, Bondi mentioned: “I am not going to debate personnel issues.”
“I believe all of us are dedicated to working collectively now to make America secure once more, and that is what we’re doing,” she added.
All three prime officers — Bondi, Patel and Bongino — have at one level or one other stoked conspiracy theories about Epstein.
In February, Bondi mentioned in response to a query from FOX Information about Epstein’s shopper listing that it was “sitting on my desk proper now to overview.” The division’s memo later contradicted her, saying there was no proof of such an inventory.
Epstein died by suicide in a federal lockup in 2019 whereas awaiting trial on federal intercourse trafficking expenses. His dying has been the supply of conspiracy theories from the beginning, notably on the far proper, due to Epstein’s hyperlinks to the wealthy and highly effective.
Regardless of the calls from some in MAGA world for Bondi to step apart, she seems to proceed to benefit from the president’s backing.
“The legal professional common has handed that very nicely,” Trump instructed reporters Tuesday. “She’s actually finished an excellent job. I believe whenever you have a look at it, you will perceive that.”
Trump spoke to reporters once more later within the day, and mentioned he did not know why a few of his supporters had been within the Epstein story and annoyed with the way it’s been dealt with.
“He is useless for a very long time. He was by no means an enormous issue when it comes to life. I do not perceive what the curiosity or what the fascination is, I actually do not. And the credible info’s been given,” he mentioned.
“However I do not perceive why the Jeffrey Epstein case can be of curiosity to anyone,” he added. “It is fairly boring stuff, it is sordid but it surely’s boring and I do not perceive why it retains going. I believe actually solely fairly dangerous folks together with pretend information wish to hold one thing like that going. However credible info—allow them to give it. Something that is credible, I’d say allow them to have it.”
