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Attorney General Pam Bondi sparred with Democratic lawmakers and faced pointed questions from a Republican ally during a contentious House Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday, as the Justice Department’s handling of Jeffrey Epstein records and its pursuit of President Donald Trump’s critics fueled hours of heated exchanges.
The roughly 4½-hour hearing devolved at times into shouting matches, with Democrats accusing Bondi of politicizing the Justice Department and failing survivors of Epstein’s abuse. Bondi fired back, accusing Democrats of engaging in “theatrics” and defending the department’s record under Trump.
The confrontation comes as Bondi and her agency face mounting pressure from the White House to deliver legal victories aligned with Trump’s agenda, amid courtroom setbacks and criticism — including from Trump himself — that the department has not moved aggressively enough against his perceived political opponents.
Epstein records dominate questioning
Much of the tension centered on the Justice Department’s release of Epstein-related files. Survivors of Epstein’s abuse and their families attended the hearing, with some speaking at a news conference beforehand to demand greater transparency.
“The DOJ needs to do its job. Give us the rest of the files and start the investigations,” said Dani Bensky, an Epstein survivor.
Sky Roberts, the brother of Virginia Giuffre, criticized Bondi’s handling of the matter, calling it “nothing short of a failure” and urging her to “do your job.”
Democrats pressed Bondi over reports that some survivors’ names were not fully redacted in released documents. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., asked survivors in attendance to stand before challenging Bondi to apologize for the department’s redaction errors. Bondi declined.
Instead, she pivoted to criticize Democrats for their past impeachment efforts against Trump, asking whether they had apologized to him. She later accused Democrats of trying to “get in the gutter,” even as she lobbed personal barbs at several members, including Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the committee’s top Democrat.
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who co-authored legislation compelling the release of Epstein records, also pressed Bondi over redaction inconsistencies — arguing that some material was over-redacted while survivors’ identities were mistakenly disclosed in other instances.
Bondi blamed the errors on department lawyers rushing to meet a December deadline under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
“We did the best we could,” she said.
When asked whether additional individuals might face charges connected to Epstein, Bondi said there were “pending investigations,” without elaborating.
Disputes over Trump-linked prosecutions
Democrats also scrutinized the department’s efforts to pursue investigations tied to Trump’s political grievances. Raskin accused Bondi of turning the Justice Department into “Trump’s instrument of revenge.”
“Trump orders up prosecutions like pizza, and you deliver every time,” Raskin said, referencing investigations into Trump critics and public officials.
Hours before the hearing, a federal grand jury declined to indict Democratic lawmakers over a social media video encouraging military and intelligence personnel to follow their oaths and refuse “illegal orders.”
Bondi dismissed concerns about politicization, declaring that “weaponization has ended” at the Justice Department and accusing what she described as “liberal activist judges” of coordinating opposition to the administration.
Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., questioned Bondi about the continued employment of Jared Wise — a Jan. 6 defendant who was later pardoned by Trump — in a Justice Department working group examining alleged Biden-era “weaponization.” Bondi noted that Wise had been pardoned.
At one point, Bondi called Massie a “failed politician” with “Trump derangement syndrome,” referencing Trump’s endorsement of a primary challenger against the Kentucky Republican.
Pressure from the White House
The hearing unfolded amid reports that Trump has privately expressed frustration with Bondi, describing her as insufficiently aggressive in pursuing cases against political opponents. Following those reports, the White House released statements from Trump and senior officials praising Bondi’s performance.
Despite the clashes, Bondi and Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., found brief common ground when Swalwell raised concerns about threats against his family.
“None of you should be threatened, ever,” Bondi said. “None of your children should be threatened. None of your families should be threatened.”
Still, Wednesday’s hearing underscored the growing tension between congressional Democrats and the Justice Department over its independence, transparency and role in advancing Trump’s political priorities — battles that are likely to intensify as the midterm elections approach.
