White House denies Trump linked to Epstein case after WSJ report
WASHINGTON: The White House on Wednesday (Jul 23) rejected a Wall Street Journal report claiming President Donald Trump’s name appeared in Justice Department files related to Jeffrey Epstein, calling the story “fake news”.
The Journal, citing senior administration officials, reported that Attorney General Pam Bondi informed Trump in May that his name was included in materials connected to Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in prison in 2019.
Reuters has not independently verified the report.
In a statement, Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said: “Nothing in the files warranted further investigation or prosecution, and we have filed a motion in court to unseal the underlying grand jury transcripts. As part of our routine briefing, we made the President aware of the findings.”
Trump has not been accused of any wrongdoing related to the Epstein case.
The Justice Department concluded in early July that there was no basis to continue its probe, sparking backlash from Trump’s political base, which has long demanded greater transparency on Epstein’s ties to powerful figures.
The Journal reported that Bondi and Blanche told Trump in a White House meeting that his name, along with those of “many other high-profile figures,” appeared in the files. While the White House immediately dismissed the report as fictitious, the officials’ statement did not directly deny the substance of the claim.
TRUMP SUES JOURNAL OVER LETTER
Last week, the Journal reported that Trump had written Epstein a 2003 birthday message that read: “Happy Birthday —-and may every day be another wonderful secret.” Trump has since filed a lawsuit against the newspaper and its owner Rupert Murdoch, calling the note a fabrication.
Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The Justice Department reaffirmed this conclusion in a memo this month, but many of Trump’s supporters remain unconvinced. Some online influencers who had long promoted conspiracy theories around Epstein’s death have voiced disillusionment with the administration.
According to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll, more than two-thirds of Americans believe the Trump administration is withholding information about Epstein’s network.
REPUBLICANS SKIP TENSE VOTES, END SESSION EARLY
Facing political pressure over the case, Republican leaders in the US House of Representatives ended the legislative session a day early on Wednesday, sending lawmakers on summer recess to avoid potentially damaging votes tied to the Epstein investigation.
Democrats had sought to force a vote to compel the release of full case files. But with no clear Republican consensus, House Speaker Mike Johnson cancelled Thursday’s proceedings, saying the break would provide “space” for a resolution.
Critics, however, accused Republicans of avoiding accountability. Trump's political base has grown frustrated with his response to the Justice Department's conclusion and the administration’s handling of related court filings.
The move temporarily stalled a bipartisan effort to require the release of all Epstein-related documents.
JUDGE BLOCKS TRANSCRIPT RELEASE
On the same day, a federal judge in Florida rejected the Justice Department’s request to unseal grand jury transcripts from investigations into Epstein in 2005 and 2007. The ruling was the first in a series of pending motions filed by the Trump administration seeking to release documents related to Epstein and his former associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
US District Judge Robin Rosenberg said the request did not meet any of the legal exceptions that would permit the release of grand jury materials.
Separate motions remain under review in Manhattan federal court regarding later indictments against Epstein and Maxwell.
Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence after being convicted of child sex trafficking and other crimes.
