DOJ Denied Jeffrey Epstein Blackmail … But Not Ghislaine Maxwell Blackmail
WSJ has confirmed not only that Donald Trump’s name is in the Epstein files — and that Pam Bondi told him that on some unidentified date in May.
When Justice Department officials reviewed what Attorney General Pam Bondi called a “truckload” of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein earlier this year, they discovered that Donald Trump’s name appeared multiple times, according to senior administration officials.
In May, Bondi and her deputy informed the president at a meeting in the White House that his name was in the Epstein files, the officials said. Many other high-profile figures were also named, Trump was told. Being mentioned in the records isn’t a sign of wrongdoing.
The officials said it was a routine briefing that covered a number of topics and that Trump’s appearance in the documents wasn’t the focus.
They told the president at the meeting that the files contained what officials felt was unverified hearsay about many people, including Trump, who had socialized with Epstein in the past, some of the officials said.
The detail that Trump was told means that Trump lied when ABC asked him about it on July 15 (as you watch the video, watch how Karoline Leavitt’s head swings around as Trump is asked).
On July 15, an ABC News journalist asked Trump, as he took questions from reporters at the White House, what Bondi told him about the Epstein files: “Specifically, did she tell you at all that your name appeared in the files?”
“No, no, she’s—she’s given us just a very quick briefing,” Trump responded. He also said Bondi had “really done a very good job” on the Epstein review.
DOJ, FBI, and the White House have now all issued statements that don’t address the issue. The Bondi/Blanche one that appears in this ABC piece emphasizes that there was nothing left to investigate — something totally contradictory from Blanche’s plans to do a proffer with Maxwell.
In a statement, Bondi and Blanche said, “The DOJ and FBI reviewed the Epstein Files and reached the conclusion set out in the July 6 memo. 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.” [my emphasis]
Consider how that emphasis compares with the full, most tortured paragraph, in the July 7 release.
This systematic review revealed no incriminating “client list.” There was also no credibleevidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions. We did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.
As I wrote at the time, this very short paragraph was sandwiched between two actually credible sections stating that much of the material would implicate the victims and that Epstein killed himself (was allowed to kill himself) in prison.
So yesterday, DOJ and FBI released (or rather, made available to Axios without yet, apparently, releasing it via normal channels) a two-page unsigned notice (which may be on letterhead created for the purpose).
It included two main, credible conclusions:
- Much of the material that FBI has depicts victims and any release of that material would retraumatize the victims.
- FBI concluded (and Trump’s flunkies agree) that Jeffrey Epstein killed himself. DOJ released two files (one unaltered, one enhanced, both with titles that do not even mention Epstein) showing that no one entered his cell the night he killed himself.
But there’s also a short, broader conclusion that is less sound.
This systematic review revealed no incriminating “client list.” There was also no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions. We did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties. [my emphasis]
Emphasis on credible?
Of course there’s a client list; one version of it was already released. There are also the names or descriptions shared by victims of the men who abused them. And while there may be no evidence in the FBI files that Epstein did blackmail Trump or anyone else, he had blackmail material on them.
DOJ’s current story emphasizes the third sentence: There wasn’t enough to open an investigation against uncharged third parties (whom we now know to include Trump). DOJ is less interested in talking about what was always clearly a dodge: no, there’s no client list, but there are people who, the evidence shows, raped one or some of Epstein’s victims, and that list could be released.
The second sentence looks a lot different, just a few weeks later.
There may be no credible evidence that Epstein blackmailed people.
But all this has been proceeding as Ghislaine Maxwell seeks a way out of prison. All this has been proceeding as the WSJ gets stories about Trump using his signature as pubic hair. All this has been proceeding as Trump’s defense attorney claims to be representing the interest of the country by meeting with Ghislaine — all while ignoring the victims.
That paragraph always looked like misdirection.
But now DOJ is misdirecting even from two of the three sentences in that paragraph.
Timeline
February 16, 2017: Alex Acosta nominated Secretary of Labor.
July 2, 2019: Jeffrey Epstein indicted.
July 12, 2019: Alex Acosta resigns.
August 10, 2019: Epstein dies by suicide.
June 20, 2020: Geoffrey Berman fired.
June 29, 2020: Ghislaine Maxwell indicted.
March 29, 2021: Superseding indictment.
November 16, 2021: Jury selection begins.
December 29, 2021: Maxwell convicted on 5 of 6 counts.
February 28, 2023: Maxwell appeals.
September 17, 2024: Second Circuit rejects appeal.
January 15, 2025: Maxwell delays appeal.
February 10, 2025: Dan Bongino promises he’ll never let Epstein story go.
February 21, 2025: Pam Bondi claims Epstein client list is on her desk.
February 27, 2025: Bondi orchestrates re-release of previously released Epstein files.
March 4, 2025: James Dennehy forced to retire.
March 14, 2025: Pam Bondi conducts emergency review of Epstein and Maxwell documents.
April 10, 2025: Maxwell files cert petition.
April 25, 2025: Virginia Giuffre dies by suicide.
Sometime in May: Bondi tells Trump he’s in the Epstein files.
May 7, 2025: John Sauer delays response; Bondi claims there are thousands of videos.
May 18, 2025: Kash Patel and Dan Bongino affirm that Epstein killed himself.
May 22, 2025: Epstein prison video created.
June 5, 2025: Elon Musk claims Trump is in the Epstein files.
June 6, 2025: John Sauer delays response.
July 7, 2025: Pam Bondi claims there’s no there there.
July 8, 2025: Trump loses it over questions about Epstein.
July 9, 2025: Undefined ABC query about Epstein leads to spat at DOJ.
July 12, 2025: Trump attempts to claim Epstein is a Democratic plot.
July 14, 2025: DOJ defends Maxwell prosecution; David Markus suggests Trump is reneging on a deal.
July 15, 2025: WSJ interviews Trump about Epstein book; Trump falsely tells ABC he has not been told.
July 16, 2025: Pam Bondi fires Maurene Comey, on Trump’s personal authority.
July 17, 2025: Trump yells at supporters who won’t move on from Epstein. WSJ publishes story.
July 18, 2025: Todd Blanche files to unseal grand jury materials; Trump sues WSJ.
July 21, 2025: Mike Johnson dodges week of work to give Trump “space” to fix his Epstein problem.
July 22, 2025: Blanche announces he’ll meet with Maxwell; Oversight votes to subpoena Maxwell for deposition.