Pam Bondi, the former Attorney General, made her first public appearance following the disclosure of her thyroid cancer diagnosis. She attended a long-anticipated session to give evidence on her management of the Jeffrey Epstein files while serving in the Justice Department. Bondi arrived at Capitol Hill on 29 May 2026 to participate in a closed-door deposition with the House Oversight Committee, which is investigating the handling of Epstein-related documents.
Initially, Bondi was scheduled to testify before the Committee on 14 April, but this meeting was cancelled following her dismissal from the Justice Department by President Donald Trump. She was replaced by Todd Blanche, Trump’s former defence attorney. When Bondi appeared before the committee on Friday, she was accompanied by Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, acting as her counsel—an arrangement that drew criticism from Democratic members of the Committee, although the Justice Department maintained the setup was standard practice.
As she arrived at the Capitol, Bondi did not address reporters, displaying a white bandage on her neck, indicating her recent surgery. Coinciding with her testimony, President Trump appointed her to a government panel focusing on artificial intelligence policy.
In her opening remarks, Bondi acknowledged “redaction errors” in the initial release of the Epstein documents. She admitted to delegating the review process to Blanche, who was then serving as the Deputy Attorney General. Critics have pointed out that during Bondi’s oversight, the identities of multiple survivors were unredacted, while the names of Epstein’s accomplices remained concealed. This has led to allegations that these omissions were not simply errors but deliberate choices that ultimately prioritised the protection of powerful individuals over the safety of survivors.
The investigation into the Epstein files has faced significant scrutiny, particularly regarding the approach taken during Bondi’s tenure. House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer expressed that both the Trump administration and Bondi’s Justice Department had failed to adequately support the survivors of Epstein’s abuses. Comer noted that the failures in the investigation stretch across several presidential administrations and stressed the importance of uncovering the truth for public awareness and justice for the survivors.
This was the thirteenth interview conducted by the Committee in its investigation into Epstein. Comer indicated further interviews are on the agenda, including upcoming depositions involving prominent figures such as billionaire Bill Gates and private equity investor Leon Black.
The probing into the Epstein files has raised concerns regarding the conduct of other witnesses, including a recent closed-door session with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Following that appearance, some House Democrats described the session as “embarrassing,” citing Lutnick’s failure to reconcile inconsistencies in his previous statements regarding his connections to Epstein.
In a bid for transparency, California Representative Robert Garcia, a leading Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, expressed intentions to ensure that future testimonies, whether public or private, are recorded and made available to the public. Some Democrats suspect that there is a concerted effort to obscure information related to Epstein, particularly given the significant weight of Bondi’s involvement in the Justice Department at pivotal times during the investigation.
Survivors of Epstein’s abuse were present at the hearing, voicing hopes that Bondi would provide honest and clear answers. Marina Lacerda, a survivor who has previously supplied evidence to the FBI, urged Bondi to drop any pretences and disclose the complete truth concerning her knowledge of the Epstein scandal.
Bondi’s earlier public appearances had been controversial, particularly one in February where she faced intense criticism for her failure to engage directly with survivors. During that session, she made promises to release crucial documents, only for the Justice Department to later backtrack on claims regarding Epstein’s supposed client list.
The pressure to disclose the Epstein files intensified through legislative action late last year, which mandated their release, despite Trump’s initial resistance. Epstein’s connections to individuals in powerful positions—including politicians and celebrities—have generated substantial public interest, with many questioning the extent of the protection afforded to Epstein and others implicated in his crimes.
As the investigation continues, it remains to be seen what implications Bondi’s testimony may have on the broader inquiry into Epstein’s networks and the failures of justice that allowed his abuses to occur.