Bondi Rips Senator Over Epstein Grilling: 'You're a Failed Lawyer'
President Donald Trump holds a press conference with Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room on Friday, June 27, 2025 Official White House Photo by Molly Riley. Public domain.
Attorney General Pam Bondi faced a grilling like no other during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, repeatedly dodging questions about her role in handling Jeffrey Epstein's files. The former Florida attorney general — long known for her combative style and close ties to Donald Trump — found herself on the defensive, refusing to clarify who flagged documents bearing Trump's name and deflecting questions on multiple investigations under her watch.
A Defiant Attorney General Under Fire
The hearing was charged with sharp exchanges and pointed accusations. Senator Dick Durbin, the committee's top Democrat, pressed Bondi on whether anyone in the Justice Department had ordered Epstein-related records connected to President Trump to be flagged.
When Durbin asked, "Who gave the order to flag records related to President Trump?" Bondi replied tersely, "I'm not going to discuss anything about that with you," according to The Daily Beast.
That refusal came despite earlier reports that Bondi — who previously served as Trump's personal attorney — had briefed the president that his name appeared multiple times in the Epstein files. The Wall Street Journal reported on this in July, but Bondi again declined to elaborate during the hearing, according to The Daily Beast.
From 'On My Desk' to Stonewalling
Her defiance marked a sharp contrast from earlier in the year. In February, Bondi told Fox News that the alleged Epstein client list was "sitting on my desk right now to review," as reported by ABC News. But under the Senate spotlight, she refused to offer any update or details on the files or ongoing investigations.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse pressed Bondi on whether the DOJ had reviewed "hundreds" of Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) tied to Epstein's finances, as reported by CBS News. Bondi sidestepped the question, instead accusing Whitehouse of taking money from tech billionaire Reid Hoffman, a onetime Epstein associate. Federal Election Commission records, however, do not confirm direct donations from Hoffman to either Whitehouse or Durbin. The tense exchange underscored the hearing's combative tone.
Hard to Pin Down
Bondi's evasive answers suggested a deeper resistance to transparency within the Justice Department. Despite public demand for answers about Epstein's ties to powerful figures, the department under Bondi maintained a veil of secrecy. She declined to clarify who flagged Trump-related documents or release more information about the Epstein files — leaving major questions unanswered.
When Representative Adam Schiff pressed her about the closed investigation into border czar Tom Homan, Bondi insisted the probe found no credible evidence of wrongdoing but refused to release audio or video evidence, as reported by CBS News.
Bondi also declined to discuss any conversations with the White House regarding probes into figures like James Comey, saying, "I am not going to discuss any conversations I have or have not had with the President of the United States," according to ABC News.
Her repeated counterattacks — often invoking Reid Hoffman's name — became a signature tactic throughout the hearing, deflecting scrutiny from her department's handling of the Epstein materials
Combative Responses
Bondi's fiery exchanges with Democratic senators dominated the session. When Senator Whitehouse pressed her again on Epstein, Bondi snapped back with accusations about campaign donors, escalating tensions further.
Her clash with Senator Peter Welch of Vermont grew especially heated. When Welch suggested she was being evasive about the Homan probe, Bondi shot back, "Don't call me a liar!" to which Welch replied calmly, "I didn't call you a liar," according to ABC News. The sharp exchange captured the mood of the hearing.
Bondi also taunted Senator Durbin over Chicago's crime rate, accusing him of hating President Trump and praising the National Guard's deployment to the city. Durbin shot back: "It's my job to grill you. Investigation of your agency is part of my responsibility," as reported by ABC News. His frustration reflected the growing concern over politicization inside the DOJ
The Fear of Concealment
Lawmakers voiced mounting fears of concealment and lack of accountability within Bondi's Justice Department. Durbin claimed Bondi had "systematically weaponized" the department to protect President Trump and punish his critics, citing the firings of career officials and the handling of the Epstein and Comey cases, as reported by CBS News. He warned that Bondi's tenure had left "an enormous stain in American history."
Bondi countered that she had restored focus on "real crime" and ended the "weaponization" of law enforcement under the previous administration, according to ABC News. She praised recent DOJ wins and defended the National Guard's deployment to cities like Chicago, accusing local leaders of failing to keep residents safe.
From Fighter to Silent Under the Lights
After nearly five hours of questioning, Bondi left the hearing with few answers and plenty of controversy. Her testimony — marked by refusals, counterpunches, and flashes of defiance — did little to clarify the DOJ's handling of the Epstein files or other high-profile probes.
In closing, Bondi praised President Trump saying, "They may try to destroy our country, but they won't," as reported by CBS News. "They won't be successful, nor will our foreign adversaries, because we have the greatest president in Donald Trump and he will make America safe again and he will keep us safe." But many lines of inquiry — from the flagged Epstein documents to the internal investigations she declined to detail — remain unresolved.
What happens next may depend on whether the Senate Judiciary Committee demands more answers — or whether the silence holds.
References: Pam Bondi Desperately Fends Off Questions in Wild Epstein Grilling | Attorney General Pam Bondi faces questions on DOJ probes, Epstein files at Senate hearing | Bondi rips Democratic senators, dodges questions on 'weaponization' and Homan during fiery hearing
