US attorney general Pam Bondi informed President Donald Trump in May that his name appeared in the justice department files related to sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein, The Wall Street Journal reported, with the White House calling it “another fake news story”.
During a routine White House meeting, Bondi and deputy attorney general Todd Blanche had told Trump that his name, along with those of many other high-profile individuals, was mentioned in the files, per the WSJ.
"The files contained what officials felt was unverified hearsay about many people, including Trump, who had socialised with Epstein in the past," one official told the Journal.
“This is another fake news story, just like the previous story by The Wall Street Journal,” said White House communications director Steven Cheung.
Bondi and Blanche confirmed the President had been briefed: “As part of our routine briefing, we made the President aware of the findings.”
On July 15, Trump denied being told about his name appearing in the files, saying Bondi gave only “a very quick briefing.” He added, “She’s really done a very good job.”
Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting federal trial for sex trafficking, was friends with Trump in the early 2000s, though Trump has repeatedly said he cut ties with Epstein well before the financier's 2006 indictment.
After The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump’s name appeared in a 2003 Epstein birthday album, the President filed a defamation lawsuit against the paper, its reporters, and publisher Dow Jones, calling the letter “nonexistent” and demanding $10 billion in damages.
The Rupere Murdoch-owned Dow Jones responded: “We have full confidence in the rigor and accuracy of our reporting, and will vigorously defend against any lawsuit.”
Trump later directed Bondi to seek court approval to release grand jury testimony. Bondi and Blanche subsequently filed a motion, stating it was “a matter of public interest.” However, a federal judge in South Florida denied the justice department’s request, ruling it didn’t meet the legal threshold for public disclosure.
Trump's political base has expressed growing frustration over the administration's decision not to release more Epstein-related materials. Internal tensions have also surfaced, with FBI director Kash Patel and deputy director Dan Bongino reportedly backing fuller disclosure.
Bongino, a prominent conservative media figure, has told aides the decision has damaged his credibility.
Meanwhile, Epstein’s cohort Ghislaine Maxwell’s lawyer, David Oscar Markus, confirmed the justice department is seeking a meeting with her for any new information.
“We are grateful to President Trump for his commitment to uncovering the truth in this case,” he said.
On July 7, the justice department announced it had found no Epstein "client list," no evidence justifying new investigations, and no additional materials meriting public release. The statement also noted that much of the material would have been sealed in a trial to protect victims.
