Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is pushing back against speculation that the Justice Department’s handling of the high-profile Epstein files played any role in the departure of former Attorney General Pam Bondi, amid growing scrutiny from lawmakers.
In a televised interview with Jesse Watters on Fox News, Blanche dismissed claims linking Bondi’s exit to the controversial document release tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“I have never heard President Trump say anything that the attorney general was, that anything that happened to her had anything to do with the Epstein files,” Blanche said.
The remarks followed an announcement from President Donald Trump confirming Bondi would be stepping down from her role and “transitioning” into a private-sector position. In a post shared on Truth Social, Trump praised her performance, stating she “did a tremendous job overseeing a massive crackdown in Crime across our Country.”
Bondi’s exit comes at a time when the Justice Department is facing bipartisan criticism over its handling of sensitive materials tied to Epstein. Blanche, who previously served as deputy attorney general, played a central role in the release of those files after the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which mandated broader disclosure.
According to Blanche, the department has now completed its obligation.
“The acting attorney general said the department has now released “all the files with respect to the Epstein saga.””
Despite that claim, lawmakers across party lines have raised concerns about delays and the extent of redactions applied to the documents. The rollout has fueled ongoing political tension, with critics arguing the process lacked transparency.
Bondi is still expected to appear before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on April 14 as part of a continuing investigation into Epstein’s network and related activities. Representative Robert Garcia, the panel’s ranking Democrat, has indicated that her testimony remains necessary, even as some Republicans, including Chair James Comer, have expressed hesitation.
Blanche also defended the department’s approach to transparency, emphasizing that access has been granted to lawmakers seeking deeper review.
“We have made every single congressman, senator available to come and see any document, redacted, unredacted, that they want,” Blanche said. “And so I think to the extent that the Epstein files was a part of the last year of this justice department, it should not be a part of anything going forward.”
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