Former US Attorney General Pam Bondi declined to answer questions related to President Donald Trump during a closed-door interview with the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Friday, as lawmakers examined the Justice Department’s handling of records tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
According to Democratic committee Ranking Member Robert Garcia, Bondi refused to respond to any questions concerning whether Trump had directed her to redact or withhold information related to Epstein investigations. Garcia described parts of the interview as confrontational, saying Bondi repeatedly indicated she would not discuss matters involving the president.
During the session, Bondi reportedly redirected several inquiries to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, stating that he was overseeing the investigation and associated document release process. Garcia said Bondi also claimed she could not recall several details from events occurring roughly six months earlier.
Bondi told lawmakers that approximately three million pages of Epstein-related material remain unreleased. She said the documents were being withheld due to their connection with prosecutorial decisions made by the Department of Justice. She also acknowledged that she has not met with survivors of Epstein’s abuse, some of whom were present outside the hearing room during the proceedings.
One survivor, Danielle Bensky, criticised the handling of the interview, saying the process lacked transparency and accountability. She said victims deserved open proceedings rather than closed-door discussions.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Guynn attended the interview alongside Bondi, representing the Justice Department. According to Garcia, Dhillon occasionally intervened during questioning and advised Bondi not to respond to certain topics.
The interview was neither conducted under oath nor recorded, a decision attributed to House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer. Comer had previously overseen Bondi’s removal from her position as Attorney General earlier in the year.
The format of the proceedings has drawn criticism from members of both parties. Republican Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina, who had previously supported subpoenaing Bondi for sworn testimony, called the decision not to conduct a formal recorded deposition “highly disappointing.” However, most Republican members of the committee did not attend the interview, with Comer the only GOP member present.
Democratic lawmakers described the situation as an obstruction of transparency. Representative Maxwell Frost said the process amounted to a lack of accountability and accused officials of withholding information in plain sight.
Following the interview, committee officials confirmed that a transcript will be prepared and reviewed by the Department of Justice before public release through a standard “Notice of Errata” process. The timeline for publication has not been confirmed.
Lawmakers are now considering further subpoenas related to the Epstein investigations, including potential testimony from Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel. Some committee members are also seeking the release of additional documents they say remain undisclosed.
According to Garcia, a significant portion of Epstein-related records has not yet been made available to Congress or the public. He said further legal and procedural steps are being considered to compel disclosure and ensure compliance with transparency requirements.
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