Justice Department officials told President Donald Trump earlier this year that his name, among others, appeared in the Jeffrey Epstein documents, known as the so-called Epstein files, according to a report.
Attorney General Pam Bondi informed the president back in May that his name appeared in the documents, senior officials told the Wall Street Journal. His name was one of many high-profile figures in the files, the outlet reported. The files reportedly contain hundreds of names, an official told the paper.
Being mentioned in the records isn’t a sign of wrongdoing.
The revelation comes as the president tries to distance himself from the late financier and the fanfare surrounding the case.
Last week, the Journal published a report claiming that Trump gave Epstein a 50th birthday card containing a sexually suggestive drawing and a message suggesting the men shared “secrets.” The president vehemently denied the claims and even sued the paper and its owners for $10 billion.
Attention around the case has bubbled up since the DOJ released a July 6 memo that said the department would make no further disclosures in the case. Even MAGA and prominent Republicans have since called for increased transparency around the handling of the case.
Amid mounting public pressure, the president asked Bondi to make public any “pertinent” grand jury transcripts. Bondi then asked the judges overseeing the cases of Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, the financier’s former girlfriend who is now serving 20 years behind bars for her role in a scheme to abuse girls with Epstein.
