Bondi Defends Epstein File Release in Congress Testimony

Former Attorney General Pam Bondi testified Friday before the House Oversight Committee in a closed-door transcribed interview, defending her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files during her tenure as head of the Department of Justice. The testimony, conducted without video recording or an oath, comes amid ongoing bipartisan scrutiny of the DOJ’s investigation into the convicted sex offender and follows Bondi’s ouster from the department in April 2026.

Context and Background

Bondi served as Attorney General from January 2025 until her dismissal in April 2026, when President Trump announced her departure in a social media post, calling her “a Great American Patriot and a loyal friend”. Her tenure was marked by controversy over the release of millions of pages of Epstein-related documents, which Congress mandated through the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

The House Oversight Committee, chaired by Rep. James Comer (R-KY), subpoenaed Bondi in March to discuss her role in overseeing the DOJ’s Epstein investigation and document release. Friday’s interview marked the 13th Epstein-related interview conducted by the committee, with six more planned.

Key Developments

In her prepared opening statement, obtained by NPR, Bondi said: “The bottom line is: justice and transparency in this matter have been delivered at the direction of President Trump and his administration.” She acknowledged “redaction errors” in the released files but maintained that the department had been “committed to accountability and transparency since day one.”

Bondi described the document review as an “enormously complicated and labor-intensive process,” noting that more than 500 attorneys and reviewers spent thousands of hours examining millions of pages. The DOJ ultimately released over 3 million pages and 180,000 images. She said she delegated oversight of the review to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who now serves as acting attorney general.

“Our diligent and good faith effort to collect materials ensured that all potentially responsive documents that could be reasonably located would see the light of day,” Bondi said.

Survivor and Democratic Criticism

Outside the hearing, survivors including Dani Bensky, who says Epstein sexually abused her as a young ballerina, protested the closed-door format and demanded full transparency. “We haven’t seen the full release of the files, so that’s already a violation of the law,” Bensky said, referencing the Epstein Files Transparency Act. She added that the release of files without proper redactions of victims’ identities “sends such a chilling effect to the rest of the survivor community.”

Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA), the ranking Democrat on the committee, expressed disappointment that the interview was not videotaped or conducted under oath. “We obviously have a lot of questions as it relates to why only 50% of the files have been released, why many of the survivors were literally put in danger by the way the files were released,” Garcia told reporters.

Unusual Legal Representation

In an arrangement first reported by Semafor, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon represented Bondi during the interview — an unusual setup for a former official. Democrats raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest, though legal experts told NPR the decision was defensible given that Bondi was testifying about matters tied to her former office.

Analysis and Implications

The Epstein investigation has created unusual cross-party dynamics. Chairman Comer emphasized the committee’s seriousness, telling reporters: “The government has failed the survivors. We’re taking this investigation seriously.” He said the goal is to “connect all the dots” and understand “how the government failed.”

Democrats, meanwhile, have accused Bondi of overseeing a cover-up, pointing to allegations that key files related to President Trump were removed from the release. Bondi and her Republican defenders maintain that the DOJ acted in good faith under tight congressional deadlines.

What’s Next

The transcript of Bondi’s testimony is expected to be released publicly in the coming days or weeks, potentially revealing new information about the DOJ’s handling of the Epstein case. The committee has six more interviews planned, including testimony from Bill Gates scheduled for June 10. The Epstein case continues to generate significant public interest and political pressure for full transparency, with the handling of the files remaining a major issue affecting public trust in the Justice Department.