The files allegedly contain unverified accounts, rumors, and social connections between Epstein and the individuals listed, including Trump. Bondi, according to sources, advised that releasing the documents could expose personal data of victims and material categorized as child pornography.
The president, according to officials, deferred the decision to Bondi, who recommended withholding further disclosures.
White House communications director Steven Cheung blasted the Journal report as “fake news,” reiterating a familiar defense: “The President kicked Epstein out of his club for being a creep. This is just another round of disinformation from the Democrats and liberal media—like the Obama-era Russiagate hoax, which President Trump was right about from the beginning.”
Reporters questioned Trump directly on July 15 after another closed-door meeting with Bondi. Asked if his name in the files was discussed, he simply replied, “No, no,” and brushed off the conversation as “a quick briefing,” before pivoting to attack former FBI Director James Comey, whom he accused of “making up” the files altogether.
While Trump has not been charged or formally linked to Epstein’s criminal activities, it is publicly known that his name — along with those of his family members — appears in Epstein’s contact logs and flight records from the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Epstein’s so-called “black book” also included contact entries for Trump’s first wife Ivana, daughter Ivanka, and brother Robert. His second wife Marla Maples and their children Eric and Tiffany are also recorded on Epstein’s flight manifests.
The new revelations come as the Trump administration faces growing backlash from its own base over the limited release of Epstein files. Bondi initially said in February that she had a “client list” on her desk, but a July memo contradicted that claim, stating no such list exists.
During a Cabinet meeting on July 8, Bondi walked back her earlier statement, clarifying that she was referring to a complete archive of Epstein-related evidence — much of which, she says, will remain sealed due to its graphic content.
“They turned out to be child porn downloaded by that disgusting Jeffrey Epstein,” Bondi said. “It’s never going to be released. Never going to see the light of day.”
Despite the firestorm, DOJ officials have maintained that the May meeting with Trump was just a “routine briefing” and emphasized that nothing in the files warranted further investigation or prosecution.
Still, questions continue to swirl — especially after the Wall Street Journal published claims that Trump once sent Epstein a birthday card featuring a hand-drawn nude figure, prompting the president to threaten legal action against the paper and its owner Rupert Murdoch.
Bondi and Deputy AG Todd Blanche insist the administration is being transparent: “As part of our routine briefing, we made the President aware of the findings,” they said.
Whether that transparency satisfies a public demanding answers — or a political base demanding accountability — remains to be seen.