Trump accuses opponents of fabricating version on extra documents in Epstein case

Trump accuses opponents of fabricating version on extra documents in Epstein case

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has accused his political opponents of fabricating a version of events related to the Jeffrey Epstein case, particularly regarding the existence of additional documents. This comes as the Justice Department and FBI continue to grapple with the fallout from their decision to withhold records from the Epstein sex trafficking investigation.

The recent decision by the Justice Department and FBI to withhold records, including the acknowledgment that a particular sought-after document never actually existed, has sparked outrage among far-right media personalities and supporters of President Trump. This has led to a contentious conversation between Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino at the White House, threatening to shatter their relations [1].

The move has been criticized for failing to meet the expectations of Trump supporters, who had been promised transparency and the release of additional records. The Justice Department’s memo stated that no further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted, as much of the material was placed under seal by a court to protect victims [1]. However, Trump has accused his political opponents of creating a false narrative around the Epstein case, likening it to the FAKE Hillary Clinton/Christopher Steele Dossier [2].

In a social media post, Trump accused his opponents of playing into the hands of political adversaries by pushing for the release of the Epstein files. He also defended Attorney General Pam Bondi, stating that she is doing a "FANTASTIC JOB" and that the administration is united in its efforts to restore public safety [2].

The tension between the FBI and the Justice Department has been further highlighted by a news story from NewsNation that cited a "source close to the White House" as saying the FBI would have released the Epstein files months ago if it could have done so on its own. The story included statements from Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, and FBI Director Kash Patel refuting the premise, but not Bongino [1].

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has since rebuked any suggestion of daylight between the Department of Justice and the FBI regarding the conclusions reached in the Epstein files memo. He stated that the memo was the result of close collaboration between the DOJ and the FBI [3].

As the Epstein case continues to dominate the political landscape, Trump's accusations have added a layer of complexity to the ongoing debate. The future of the investigation and the potential release of additional documents remain uncertain, with Trump supporters and opponents alike waiting for further developments.

References:

[1] https://apnews.com/article/epstein-files-dan-bongino-bondi-trump-fbi-0f02f67b6c97fc50e4d93bc4dbf4c4d0

[2] https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-rips-called-friends-attacks-224239459.html

[3] https://www.newsweek.com/jeffrey-epstein-client-list-fbi-doj-trump-response-memo-2097929