President Donald Trump has claimed that former President Barack Obama and former FBI Director James Comey “made up” the Epstein files.
As he left for an event in Pennsylvania from the White House Tuesday, the President was asked by a reporter if Attorney General Pam Bondi had revealed whether his name appeared in any of the Justice Department’s files on the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Last week, the DOJ and FBI released a joint memo confirming that Epstein died by suicide in August 2019 and did not have a “client list” of rich and powerful people. The memo concluded that no further investigation was needed, pouring cold water on years of speculation surrounding the disgraced financier.
Tech billionaire, and former Trump ally, Elon Musk has claimed without evidence that the President’s name appears in the files during a public falling-out with him last month.
Trump, who had socialized with Epstein before he entered politics, did not answer directly Tuesday.
“She’s given us just a very quick briefing, and in terms of the credibility of the different things that they've seen,” Trump said. “And I would say that, you know, these files were made up by Comey. They were made up by Obama.”
Obama, a Democrat, served in the White House from 2009 to 2017, while Comey led the FBI from 2013 until May 2017, at which point Trump fired him.
Trump made a similar claim in a Truth Social post Saturday, claiming the files were “written” by Obama, Comey and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, among others.
“They created the Epstein Files, just like they created the FAKE Hillary Clinton/Christopher Steele Dossier that they used on me, and now my so-called ‘friends’ are playing right into their hands,” Trump wrote. “Why didn’t these Radical Left Lunatics release the Epstein Files? If there was ANYTHING in there that could have hurt the MAGA Movement, why didn’t they use it?”
The “Epstein files” refers to a collection of redacted documents believed to contain the names of the convicted pedophile’s alleged associates. Bondi previously insinuated to Fox News she had the “client list”on her desk in February.
Trump also praised Bondi’s work on the memo while speaking to reporters Tuesday, as she faces backlash from members of the far-right who say she hasn’t released enough information and should step down.
“I think the Attorney General has handled it very well on the DOJ and FBI review, the findings of that review,” Trump said.
Tensions are rising in the White House as FBI leaders, Kash Patel and Dan Bongino, are reportedly frustrated with the memo and Bondi’s handling of the Epstein case. Deputy Director Bongino’s relationship with the White House is currently untenable, CNN has reported.
White House officials reportedly confronted Bongino and Patel over a story leaked to NewsNation that claimed the Justice Department had stopped the FBI from unsealing further evidence related to Epstein.
Patel and Bongino denied that they were behind the leak. However, Bongino was so frustrated he offered an ultimatum to the president: either fire Bondi or he would resign. Bongino reportedly did not show up to work Friday as a result of the incident, sources told CNN Monday.
The situation “infuriated” the president, who spent the weekend angry with Bongino, CNN reported.
After reports of the spat, Trump publicly backed Bondi, and Patel announced he would not step down as FBI director.
By Sunday, the president’s anger appeared to have dissipated as he told reporters that he had spoken with Bongino, who remains his deputy FBI director. According to CNN, Bongino was back in his office Monday.
Patel and Bongino, both right-wing media personalities before they took up posts at the FBI, were among the biggest proponents of Epstein conspiracy theories in MAGA world. Now, MAGA activists are outraged over the recent memo.
The White House maintains that Bongino, Bondi and others are working “in lockstep and with unprecedented success.”
“Attorney General Bondi, Director Patel, Deputy Director Bongino, and the countless other heroes of our law enforcement community are dedicated to executing President Trump’s agenda of protecting civil rights, safeguarding communities, holding criminals accountable, and defending victims,” spokesperson Harrison Fields told The Independent Monday.
Democrats have also entered the fray with Maryland Representative Jamie Raskin saying he will urge House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan to subpoena Bondi, Patel and Bongino over the handling of the files.
“[M]any of these people have gestured at the existence of a client list, so this is a vast public perception now without regard to ideological lines,” Raskin said.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you. In the UK, people having mental health crises can contact the Samaritans at 116 123 or jo@samaritans.org.
‘There’s just no way’: Man held in same jail cell as Epstein says zero chance he took his own life
Trump fumed when Dan Bongino threatened to resign amid Epstein clash: report
Pam Bondi abruptly fires Justice Department’s top ethics chief in four-sentence letter
Trump slams CA congressman Schiff for out of state home
Trump, 79, forgets who is with him on Pittsburgh trip and delivers rambling speech
Melissa Hortman shooter could face death penalty after grand jury indictment
