President Donald Trump praised Attorney General Pam Bondi after a combative House Judiciary Committee hearing about the Justice Department’s handling of Jeffrey Epstein-related files, a defense that drew sharp pushback from some conservative commentators and pro-Trump online figures.
In a post Thursday on Truth Social, Trump said Bondi “was fantastic” under what he called “intense fire” at the hearing, where lawmakers pressed her about redactions, victim protections and follow-up investigations tied to Epstein’s network.
“AG Pam Bondi, under intense fire from the Trump Deranged Radical Left Lunatics, was fantastic at yesterday’s Hearing on the never ending saga of Jeffrey Epstein,” Trump wrote, adding that he had been “100% exonerated” from what he described as “Russia, Russia, Russia type charges.”
Trump also attacked Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who has pushed for the release of more Epstein-related records, calling him a “Loser” and “Sanctimonious RINO Congressman.”
Bondi appeared before the committee Wednesday for several hours of questioning. The hearing followed a renewed political fight over Epstein documents and how the Justice Department has handled disclosures and victim privacy, with some lawmakers and activists demanding additional releases.
The dispute intensified after photographs from the hearing showed Bondi holding a document titled “Jayapal Pramila Search History,” which listed files accessed by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., during lawmakers’ review of unredacted Epstein materials. The Justice Department told The Guardian it logs searches made on its systems during the review process, saying it does so to protect victim information.
“It is an outrage that [the justice department] is tracking members’ investigative steps,” Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the committee, said, according to The Guardian’s account.
As Trump defended Bondi, several conservative voices criticized her performance and the administration’s handling of the issue. The conservative radio host Erick Erickson said Bondi “should be fired or resign” after her exchanges with lawmakers, while podcaster Tim Pool criticized what he described as yelling during the hearing.
Online, Trump’s praise also triggered backlash among some pro-Trump accounts and right-leaning commentators, according to an AlterNet report. The republished report cited conservative influencer Evan Kilgore posting “MAGA is dead” after Trump lauded Bondi, and included Kilgore calling Trump’s statement “out of touch” while questioning why no one had been prosecuted based on the files.
The report also quoted libertarian videographer Luke Rudkowski saying, “This messaging is out of touch with reality,” and quoted National Review columnist Pradheep J. Shanker writing, “Trump applauds gross incompetence.”
The episode added to the pressure on Bondi as lawmakers argue over how to handle sensitive material tied to Epstein, who died in federal custody in 2019 after facing sex trafficking charges. Trump’s Truth Social post sought to reframe the controversy as politically driven, writing that “Nobody cared about Epstein when he was alive” and saying Democrats were using the issue for “Political Harm.”
With midterm campaigns accelerating, the dispute has created a new public test for the administration, as Trump’s allies demand more disclosures and some Republicans criticize the execution of the Justice Department’s approach even while Trump publicly stands by his attorney general.
