Bondi testifies before House Oversight and Accountability Cmte. in relation to Epstein files
OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
3:26 PM – Friday, May 29, 2026
In a closed-door Capitol Hill appearance on Friday, former Attorney General Pam Bondi defended the Department of Justice’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, stressing the Trump administration’s commitment to transparency while assigning operational responsibility for the review process to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
Ahead of Friday’s interview, earlier that day, Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) told reporters that Bondi’s second appearance before the panel was entirely voluntary. Comer also referenced a prior closed-door meeting she had arranged with the committee, which Democrats previously slammed as an effort to evade a formal subpoena.
“She came a few months ago for a briefing. Unfortunately, the Democrats got up and walked out of that briefing. Many of the Republicans asked her questions for a couple of hours during that briefing, and I’m appreciative that she’s coming back today voluntarily for a transcribed interview,” Comer said.
Testifying before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee in a transcribed interview, Bondi made it clear that she did not personally manage the day-to-day review of the millions of pages of documents.
According to her, she delegated full operational oversight to Blanche, who served as her deputy attorney general at the time, consistent with effective leadership practices in a large department. Bondi repeatedly emphasized that Blanche directed the investigation and review process.
When pressed by lawmakers on redactions, delays, and other issues, Bondi also maintained that she did not recall every specific operational detail from months earlier, as those responsibilities had been assigned to her deputy.
However, Committee Ranking Member Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) and other Democrats focused heavily on this delegation, condemning it as an attempt to shift responsibility.
“What you are going to hear in that interview, and what she’s saying here in her words and remarks is that it was Todd Blanche, the current acting AG, that was leading the Epstein investigation, and quite frankly, all of the mistakes that we saw, the redactions not protecting survivors, she continues to push that back on to the acting AG, Todd Blanche,” Garcia later told reporters.
During the hearing, Bondi further noted that the Justice Department had processed and reviewed nearly three million pages of records — including thousands of videos and hundreds of thousands of images — spanning four presidential administrations.
Bondi also acknowledged that isolated “redaction errors” had occurred, but she firmly asserted that the department fulfilled all requirements of the bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act. She stated that DOJ-hired professionals conducting the review had confirmed that withheld materials were nonresponsive, privileged or duplicative.
Despite these efforts, the session continued to draw criticism from House Democrats, who complained about the closed-door transcribed interview format — while accusing the DOJ of insufficient transparency. Outside the closed-door session, Epstein survivors gathered as well, declaring their frustration in alignment with House Democrats.
“She [Bondi] continues to push all of the investigation and the blame on Acting AG Todd Blanche,” Garcia reiterated to CSPAN.
Responding on X, Bondi shot back following the interview wrap-up.
“NOT TRUE. I praised Acting AG Blanche’s management of this Herculean task. I said his ethics are beyond reproach and that he is an incredible Attorney General,” Bondi declared.
According to analysts, the exchange has created new tension regarding the DOJ’s leadership transition, as it contrasts with Blanche’s prior public statements that the review was complete and produced no viable new leads for prosecution. Bondi’s testimony, that Blanche oversaw the process and that some investigations remain ongoing, has placed more scrutiny on the current acting attorney general.
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