House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Tuesday urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to publicly clarify her past comments about Jeffrey Epstein’s case, signaling a rare break from President Trump, who continues to defend Bondi and downplay the controversy, The Hill reported.
Johnson tasked Bondi with addressing lingering questions about her past remarks concerning the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, amid mounting pressure from conservatives and persistent backlash over the Department of Justice’s recent decision to end further disclosures in the case.
“She needs to come forward and explain that to everybody,” Johnson said during an interview with conservative commentator Benny Johnson.
Bondi came under renewed scrutiny after a resurfaced interview from earlier this year on Fox News, where she said regarding a rumored Epstein client list: “It’s sitting on my desk right now for review.” Critics have cited the comment frequently in light of Bondi’s recent moves to shut down further disclosures. Bondi later clarified that she was referring to all Epstein-related files, not a specific “client list.”
The speaker’s comments mark a notable break from President Trump, who has repeatedly stood by Bondi and urged his supporters to drop the issue.
On Tuesday, Trump dismissed the Epstein files as being “made up” by Democrats and praised Bondi for handling the situation “very well.”
Still, Johnson stressed that he continues to trust the president.
“I do trust the president. I know his heart and his head [are] in the right place. I don’t question that at all. And I’m convinced they’re going to sort this out,” he said.
In the interview, Johnson was also asked whether Congress would seek testimony from Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend, who was convicted of trafficking minors, or subpoena documents from the Department of Justice.
“I’m for transparency,” Johnson said. “We’re intellectually consistent in this. Look, [President] Reagan used to tell us we should trust the American people, and I believe in that principle, and I know President Trump does as well. I trust him. I mean, he put together a team of his choosing, and they’re doing a great job. It’s a very delicate subject, but we should put everything out there and let the people decide it.”
He added, “The White House and the White House team are privy to facts that I don’t know. I mean, this isn’t my lane, I haven’t been involved in that. But I agree with the sentiment that we need to put it out there.”
Last week, the Justice Department and FBI reaffirmed in a memo that Epstein died by suicide and asserted there is no client list. Officials declined to release further information, stating that materials under seal were intended to protect victims and did not implicate any additional third parties in illegal conduct.
The decision infuriated many conservatives who have long viewed the Epstein scandal as emblematic of elite coverups. Many hoped President Trump would declassify more records in the case.
“I’m anxious to get this behind us,” Johnson said.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.