Newsmax host Carl Higbie accused Attorney General Pam Bondi on Wednesday of hiding information in the Justice Department’s release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein. He suggested that someone should face criminal charges for mishandling the material.
Higbie, a pro-Trump television host, made these remarks during a monologue on his show after playing a clip of Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., criticizing the extensive redactions in documents released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, according to Mediaite.
“You see why people like me still think this is a cover-up?” Higbie said, pointing to FBI “302” interview reports that appeared fully redacted. “Why are hundreds of them fully redacted?”
“This is either a cover-up or it’s incompetence, and I want somebody to go to jail for it,” he stated.
Higbie’s comments increased the pressure on Bondi after a tense House Judiciary Committee hearing featuring sharp exchanges over the Epstein production. This included questions about redactions and whether the Justice Department has pursued more cases tied to Epstein’s network. Lawmakers from both parties pushed for more transparency and clearer explanations about what information remains withheld.
During the hearing, Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., asked Bondi how many of Epstein’s alleged co-conspirators the department has indicted. In a tense exchange, Nadler declared the answer was zero while Bondi spoke over him and sought time to respond, according to a report by The National News Desk.
“In America we throw pedos in jail or woodchippers” pic.twitter.com/q4TeQboYNW
— Carl Higbie (@CarlHigbie) February 12, 2026
Higbie highlighted that exchange and commended Nadler’s questioning, arguing that the issue should not divide along party lines. He also criticized the Justice Department’s handling of the file release and said those responsible for the mishandling should lose their jobs or professional credentials, as reported by Mediaite.
Massie, who helped sponsor the law that requires the publication of Epstein investigative material, has publicly called for fewer redactions and more complete access for Congress. In a separate press briefing transcript posted by Rev, Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., mentioned they reviewed files at the Justice Department and noticed continued redactions, including in FBI interview reports that they expected to be fully open.
The Justice Department defended its production as meeting the standards of the 2025 law. In a Jan. 30 press release, the department announced it published “over 3 million additional pages” as part of a total release of nearly 3.5 million pages, along with more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images. The department stated it gathered materials from various sources, including the Florida and New York Epstein cases, the New York prosecution of Ghislaine Maxwell, investigations into Epstein’s death, and FBI and inspector general reviews.
The department explained that it instructed reviewers to limit redactions to protect victims and their families. It stated, “notable individuals and politicians were not redacted in the release of any files.” It also noted that some material was withheld due to privileges or statutory exceptions and warned that some items submitted to the FBI by the public could be false.
Bondi has said the department takes allegations of criminal wrongdoing seriously while denying claims that the release was mishandled. She pointed to prior administrations for not doing more, as Democrats and some Republicans continued to demand answers during the Judiciary Committee hearing.
Higbie, a Trump ally, described his criticism as pressure on an administration he wants to succeed while insisting that federal officials must explain why major categories of documents appear blacked out.
