Pam Bondi will testify before Congress on Friday : NPR
NPR Topics: Politics — 2026-05-29 04:00:00 — www.npr.org
Trump’s Promises on Epstein Files Under Scrutiny as Bondi Testifies
Former Attorney General Pam Bondi is set to testify before House lawmakers in a closed-door interview regarding her management of the Jeffrey Epstein files. This comes after the Republican-led House Oversight Committee subpoenaed Bondi in March to discuss her role in overseeing the Department of Justice’s release of millions of documents related to the convicted sex offender.
Criticism of Bondi’s Handling of Epstein Files
Survivors and Democrats have long criticized Bondi for her handling and release of the Epstein files. They allege that she made contradictory statements about the contents of the documents, exposed survivors’ names and private information, and omitted key files related to President Trump. Epstein died in a New York prison cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. Bondi has defended her department’s work, arguing that some missteps occurred due to a tight timeline imposed by Congress to review millions of pages of material.
Trump’s Unfulfilled Promise
On the campaign trail before his second term, Trump promised to release significant information regarding Epstein. However, some of his supporters and critics claim that Bondi did not fulfill that promise. Dani Bensky, a survivor who alleges Epstein sexually abused her, stated, “We haven’t seen the full release of the files, so that’s already a violation of the law,” referencing the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Bensky emphasized that Bondi’s release of the files without proper redactions of victims’ identities “sends such a chilling effect to the rest of the survivor community.”
Bondi’s Tenure and Trump’s Support
Throughout her tenure, Bondi faced criticism from legal experts who argue that she oversaw the weaponization of the department to advance Trump’s agenda. In April, Bondi was ousted from her position at the DOJ, and Trump publicly referred to her as “a Great American Patriot and a loyal friend” in a social media post. Bondi, in turn, described her time as attorney general as “the honor of a lifetime.”
Upcoming Interview and Calls for Transparency
Bondi’s upcoming interview has drawn scrutiny due to its closed-door nature and the lack of a videotaped record. California Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the committee, stated, “We’re demanding that it be both videotaped under oath and released to the public.” The House Oversight Committee has previously questioned several high-profile individuals about Epstein, including Ghislaine Maxwell and the Clintons, with their depositions being made public. Survivors like Bensky argue that “context is lost” when interviews are only transcribed, calling for greater transparency.
Legal Representation and Concerns
In a letter to Kentucky Republican Rep. James Comer, committee chair, Garcia noted that Harmeet Dhillon, the Justice Department’s current assistant attorney general for civil rights, is among the lawyers representing Bondi. While Democrats have raised concerns about this arrangement, legal experts suggest it is standard practice for government officials to have legal representation during such testimonies.
The DOJ stated that Dhillon and other department personnel will assist the Committee in understanding the Department’s role in implementing and complying with the Epstein Files Transparency Act during Bondi’s tenure.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2026/05/29/nx-s1-5836563/pam-bondi-epstein-congress