Former Attorney General Pam Bondi admitted her limited control in managing the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files during a closed-door session with the House Oversight Committee. Bondi, dismissed as attorney general by President Trump in April, placed the responsibility on her former deputy, Todd Blanche.
During the interview, Bondi acknowledged her lack of real authority despite her influential position in the government. This marked a change from her earlier approaches on Capitol Hill where she often criticized Democrats questioning her role and authority.
Bondi indicated that Blanche was responsible for overseeing the entire investigation. According to Representative Robert Garcia of California, a ranking Democrat on the committee, Bondi admitted Blanche decided which documents to release. She also referred many questions to Kash Patel, the FBI director, during the session.
Some current and former Justice Department officials, under anonymity, challenged Bondi’s description of events. They claimed she was informed on all key developments and approved major decisions. For instance, she signed a memo in July 2025 formally concluding the government’s review of Epstein’s files.
After the interview, Bondi praised Blanche for his efforts on social media, calling him an ‘incredible’ attorney general and denied any conflict with him.