Pam Bondi’s tense House hearing is overshadowed by Epstein files

US Attorney General Pam Bondi faced pointed questioning and heated exchanges during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, as lawmakers pressed her on the Justice Department’s conduct and broader controversies surrounding the Trump administration.

What was meant to be a standard oversight hearing quickly became dominated by questions over the Jeffrey Epstein files, alongside scrutiny of document redactions, reports that the Justice Department unsuccessfully sought indictments against six Democratic lawmakers, and the fatal shooting of two protesters by federal officers in Minneapolis last month.

Epstein survivors highlighted early in the hearing

Tensions rose early when Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal asked Epstein survivors in attendance to stand and urged Bondi to apologise for the Justice Department’s failure to properly redact sensitive personal information.

Bondi paused before shifting her response towards criticism of her predecessor, former attorney general Merrick Garland. The exchange quickly became tense, setting the tone for much of the hearing.

Bondi later declined repeated requests to directly address the survivors seated behind her, a moment that drew visible reactions in the room.

A combative tone takes hold

As questioning continued, Bondi frequently spoke over lawmakers, prompting committee chair Jim Jordan to remind her that the allotted time belonged to committee members.

Bondi pushed back forcefully against Democrats, at one point calling a lawmaker a “washed up, loser lawyer” and defending Donald Trump as “the greatest president in American history”.

When Democratic Representative Ted Lieu accused Bondi of misleading lawmakers over Trump’s appearance in an unsubstantiated Epstein tip, she rejected the claim and redirected the discussion towards crime in California.

A notable exchange with a Republican lawmaker

One of the most closely watched moments came during questioning by Republican Representative Thomas Massie, who pressed Bondi on redactions involving individuals once suspected of criminal activity, including billionaire Les Wexner, who has not been accused of a crime.

Bondi said the administration corrected the issue “within 40 minutes”. Massie responded that the change came only after lawmakers had raised concerns.

“Within 40 minutes of me catching you red-handed,” he said.

A rare moment of consensus

The tone briefly softened when Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell spoke about threats made against him and his family and asked whether they were still under investigation.

Bondi said the threats were being reviewed and stressed that no lawmaker or family member should ever face intimidation, prompting one of the few moments of agreement across party lines.

Exchanges that drew attention

Bondi later urged lawmakers to focus on economic indicators, including stock market gains under Trump, before being reminded that markets were not the Judiciary Committee’s remit.

She also criticised Democratic Representative Becca Balint over a vote related to antisemitism. Balint responded by noting her family history before leaving the hearing.

The takeaway

The hearing underscored the political tension surrounding the Epstein files and broader questions about the Justice Department’s conduct under Trump. While Bondi defended the administration’s record, lawmakers from both parties used the session to air grievances, producing a hearing marked as much by confrontation as by substance.