The Latest: Bondi comes under fire from Congress for unredacted Epstein files

Attorney General Pam Bondi is taking heated questions from lawmakers in a combative congressional hearing over the Justice Department’s handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein that have exposed sensitive private information about victims despite redaction efforts.

The hearing passed the two-hour mark before taking a recess, and Bondi has spent the majority of it trying to turn the page from persistent criticism of the Justice Department by aggressively pivoting.

The attorney general launched into a wide-ranging, passionate defense of President Donald Trump, mocked her Democratic questioners and refused to directly respond to their accusations that she is perpetuating a cover-up and ignoring victims, several of whom are sitting behind her in the hearing room.

Bondi also defended the department’s handling of the files related to Epstein, even as its political saga continues to dog her term. It’s the first time the attorney general appears before Congress since a similarly tumultuous hearing in October.

Here's the latest:

It was her first Valentine’s Day visit of the second Trump administration to The Children’s Inn at NIH and her fourth as first lady.

Melania Trump spent time at two separate tables chatting with a total of about 10 children and young adults about their lives, sports, music and other interests.

One young man told the first lady he didn’t know how to address her.

“Melania,” she said, with a smile.

The Inn provides support to children who have been diagnosed with rare and serious diseases.

Democrats have hammered Bondi repeatedly for the latest file dump disclosing some victims’ identities. North Carolina Republican Rep. Brad Knott offered Bondi a defense.

“Many on this committee made very serious efforts … to give you the resources and time” to “thoroughly go through that file” to make sure victims were shielded, he said.

Knott argued that such amendments to the Epstein disclosure resolution were “met with refusal” from House leadership.

Democrats on the committee have argued throughout the day that Bondi’s department still has managed to redact considerable portions of the documents.

Attorney General Pam Bondi stood behind the prosecutions of anti-ICE protesters who disrupted a church service in Minneapolis, as well as the charges against journalist Don Lemon who covered the events.

Bondi told lawmakers that she would prosecute “unauthorized entry with the intent of disrupting, even when its a blogger like Don Lemon” and called the disruption of the church service last month “horrific.”

She pointed out that it disturbed church-goers at the Cities Church in St. Paul, where a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official is a pastor.

The arrests have received sharp criticism from news media advocates and civil rights activists.

Rep. Dan Goldman had a handful of prominent victims of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse who are in the hearing room with Attorney General Pam Bondi stand and raise their hands if they had tried to speak with the Department of Justice but not received a response.

All of the survivors raised their hands.

Goldman pointed to an email contained in released files that contained a list of victims, but only one had been blacked out. “That is clearly intentional to intimidate these survivors and victims,” he said.

Bondi pushed back on the accusation that it was an intentional mistake.

Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz mocked the researched notes that Bondi has been been using in her come backs against Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee.

He told the attorney general that in the spirit of the Olympics, he would score the quality of the political insult and held up a small whiteboard.

Bondi responded by saying that Moskowitz had mocked the Bible by earlier holding up a copy of the book and saying that “Trump’s name appears more in the Epstein files than God appears in the book about God.”

Moskowitz shot back, “I want it from the burn book.” When Bondi declined to engage, he wrote a “0” on his whiteboard.

Illinois Rep. Jesus Garcia, a Democrat, launched into an intense litany of complaints against Bondi, asking her no clear questions, bringing up the prospect of impeachment and telling her she should resign.

Garcia tweaked Bondi by entering into the record a Wall Street Journal article that suggested Trump has complained privately about Bondi being ineffective.”

Bondi responded by bringing up Garcia’s controversial retirement announcement after Illinois’ deadline to file campaign paperwork — and after his chief of staff had quietly filed to run for the seat. The House adopted a resolution condemning Garcia’s maneuver.

Garcia called it a state political matter and told Bondi her job is to investigate federal crimes.

Trump-Netanyahu meeting at the White House concludes with no ‘definitive’ outcome on Iran

Trump’s meeting with Netanyahu concluded Wednesday afternoon after the two allies spent almost three hours in the White House discussing the recent developments with Iran and the war in Gaza.

The Israeli leader left out of the view of reporters and provided a broad outline of the meeting, saying he discussed “Israel’s security needs in the context of the negotiations, and the two agreed to continue their close coordination and relationship.”

But Trump said in a social media post that it was a “good meeting” but indicated that Washington would continue on the path toward reaching a deal with Tehran.

“There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated,” the Republican president said. “If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be.”

Among the feistiest and most bitter exchanges came with Rep. Becca Balint, a Vermont Democrat who tried to ask Bondi whether the Justice Department had questioned different Trump administration officials about their ties to Epstein.

Bondi declined to answer directly, instead saying that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had already answered questions on the issue.

As Balint tried to press further, Bondi responded, “Shame on you.” That touched off a furious response from a frustrated Balint, who said: “This is pathetic. I am not asking trick questions. The American people deserve to know. These are senior Trump officials.”

The situation became even more tense when Bondi referenced “antisemitic culture” and a resolution that she said Balint voted against.

The question was cut off by a shouting Balint, who said: “You want to go there? Are you serious? Talking about antisemitism to a woman who lost her grandfather in the Holocaust!”

President Donald Trump said he insisted to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their White House meeting Wednesday that negotiations with Iran continue as the United States pushes for a nuclear deal with Tehran.

“It was a very good meeting, the tremendous relationship between our two Countries continues.” Trump said in a social media post. “There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated.”

The attorney general distanced herself from a decision last year to transfer Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend and confidant of Jeffrey Epstein, to a federal prison camp in Texas.

That transfer last year by the Bureau of Prisons, which sits under the Department of Justice, has been widely criticized. Bondi said she agreed that Maxwell should not receive any comforts while she serves out a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking minors.

“I was not involved in that at all,” she told lawmakers.

The two Democratic senators were among six lawmakers investigated by the Justice Department after appearing in a video urging U.S. military members to resist “illegal orders.”

On Tuesday, a grand jury declined to indict them over the video.

“If things had gone a different way, we’d be preparing for arrest,” Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin told reporters Wednesday. “A group of anonymous Americans upheld the rule of law.”

Slotkin said the lawmakers sent a letter Wednesday asking the Justice Department to confirm the investigation is closed. She and Kelly said they were never told what charge or charges prosecutors sought.

“This is not a good news story,” said Kelly. “This is a story about how Donald Trump and his cronies are trying to break our system in order to silence anyone who lawfully speaks out against them.”

Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse questioned Attorney General Pam Bondi on why she had hired Jared Wise, who was charged in connection to the Jan. 6th 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol and was captured on a police-worn body camera urging people to “kill” officers.

Bondi acknowledged that Wise was working at the Justice Department, noting that he had been pardoned by President Donald Trump.

Neguse responded, “This is who you choose, as the chief law enforcement officer of the United States of America, to hire at the Department of Justice,” and added, “and yet you expect hard-working police officers across the country to believe that you take law enforcement seriously?”

The sudden and surprising airspace closure over El Paso, Texas, stemmed from the Pentagon’s plans to test a laser for use in shooting down drones used by Mexican drug cartels, according to three people familiar with the situation who were granted anonymity to share sensitive details.

That caused friction with the Federal Aviation Administration, which wanted to ensure commercial air safety and the two agencies sought to coordinate, according to two of the people.

Despite a meeting scheduled later this month to discuss the issue, the Pentagon wanted to go ahead and test it, prompting the FAA to shutter the airspace. It was not clear whether the laser was ultimately deployed.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said earlier that a response to an incursion by Mexican cartel drones had led to the airspace closure and that the threat had been neutralized. Drone incursions are not uncommon along the southern border.

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Bondi sidestepped questions from Democratic Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon about whether the administration is maintaining a secret “enemies list.”

“I’m not going to commit to anything to you because you won’t let me answer questions,” Bondi told Scanlon in a heated exchanged.

Scanlon was pressing Bondi over whether the Justice Department has given Trump and top White House aide Stephen Miller a list of targeted groups and individuals the president’s September 2025 order for his administration to crack down on backers of what it described as “left-wing terrorism.”

Bondi tried to shift the question to the antifa movement before Scanlon repeated that she wanted a “yes or no” answer.

“We will comply with the law in all matters,” Bondi said.

Scanlon compared Trump’s order to McCarthyism during the early years of the Cold War and the “enemies list” compiled by Richard Nixon’s White House.

Attorney General Pam Bondi is facing some of the toughest questioning from Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky lawmaker who broke with his party to advance the legislation that forced the released of the case files on Jeffrey Epstein.

Massie took Bondi to task for the release of victims’ personal information, telling her, “Literally the worse thing you could do to survivors, you did.”

He also questioned her why more men seemingly connected to Epstein’s abuse are not under investigation.

Bondi responded in the way she has to most Democrats who brought up the Epstein files, by shooting back that he was only focused on the files because President Donald Trump is mentioned in them.

She accused Massie of having “Trump-derangement syndrome” and called him a “hypocrite.”

Democratic Rep. Lou Correa asked a handful of survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse who are attending Attorney General Pam Bondi’s hearing to stand and raise their hand if they felt that the Department of Justice would support them.

None raised their hand.

Correa underscored the importance of law enforcement supporting victims and making sure they are heard as they seek justice.

Bondi responded to Correa’s point by saying she wanted victims to come forward.

“We want to work with them,” she said.

She was responding to an old video of Trump and Epstein at a party together by saying it was “ridiculous” for Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu to ask her whether she would investigate Trump’s connections to Epstein.

“They are trying to deflect from all the great things Donald Trump has done,” Bondi exclaimed.

Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell has been discharged from the hospital after checking himself in a week ago with flu-like symptoms.

A spokesperson for the former Senate Republican leader said McConnell is “feeling better” and will work from home the rest of the week as the Senate is in session.

McConnell’s office did not give any further details on the reasons for his hospital stay.

Rep. Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat, complained to Bondi that the Trump administration’s Justice Department had declined to bring criminal charges over death threats against him and his family and other Democrats.

Bondi said she could reassure Swalwell that such threats are being taken seriously and are the subject of active investigations.

She told members of the committee that none of them should ever feel threatened and said anyone who felt that way should feel empowered to come to her office.

Republican Rep. Scott Fitzgerald handed Attorney General Pam Bondi an alley-oop of a questioning session by playing a video of past comments from top Democrats stating their opposition to illegal immigration.

Bondi used the opportunity to praise President Trump’s handling of illegal immigration.

“President Trump closed our borders on day one,” she said, arguing that it protected Americans from violent crime and illegal drugs.

Asked by Rep. Jim Jordan, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, if former CIA Director John Brennan was going to be indicted in connection with the years-old Trump-Russia investigation, Bondi declined to confirm or deny that he was under investigation.

But, she added: “No one is above the law.”

Brennan’s lawyers disclosed in a letter made public in December that they’ve been informed Brennan is a target of an investigation in Florida. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Bondi at one point went on a wide-ranging, animated, minutes-long defense of Trump in which she portrayed herself as the president’s chief protector and strayed far beyond her actual job as the nation’s chief law enforcement officer.

“You sit here and you attack the president, and I am not going to have it and I am not going to put up with it,” Bondi shouted during an extended speech that even praised the president for a recently surging Dow Jones Industrial Average.

She painted the president as a victim of baseless impeachments and investigations, incorrectly stating at one point that former special counsel Robert Mueller had not found foreign interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Around 11 a.m. ET, a vehicle with Israeli flags drove along West Executive Avenue, which separates the White House from the neighboring Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

Netanyahu is staying at Blair House, located across the street from the White House where foreign leaders often stay.

Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren used her time to highlight several emails released in the case files on Jeffrey Epstein that seem to refer to others being involved in the abuse of underage girls and asked Attorney General Pam Bondi whether she would open investigations.

“We will look and investigate any case, involving any victim,” Bondi responded, adding, “We will look into anything.”

But Bondi quickly raised her tone and volume as she accused Lofgren of filibustering her allotted time for questioning.

Democratic lawmakers and the public are demanding follow-up investigations into a number of individuals who were connected to Epstein, but the FBI last year released a memo saying no one else would be charged. Also, an Associated Press review of internal Justice Department records shows investigators found scant evidence the well-connected financier led a sex trafficking ring serving powerful men.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a Washington state Democrat, excoriated Bondi over a haphazard redaction that withheld the names of “powerful predators” but exposed private and intimate details about victims and also included nude photographs.

“Your department has shown a pattern of redacting the names of powerful predators,” reading from an email involving a withheld name and referencing a “torture video.”

She asked victims of Epstein’s abuse to raise their hand if they had been unable to meet with the Justice Department.

“For the record,” Jayapal said, “every single survivor has raised their hand.”

Jayapal asked Bondi if she would apologize to the victims, prompting a fiery back-and-forth with raised voices in which the attorney general demanded to know why the congresswoman had not asked her predecessor, Merrick Garland, the same question.

“I’m not going to get in the gutter with this woman,” Bondi said.

The attorney general addressed the victims of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse during the House Judiciary Committee, saying she was “deeply sorry” for what they had suffered.

Bondi has been severely criticized by survivors of Epstein’s abuse, including several who were in attendance at the committee hearing Wednesday, for failing to redact personal information, including nude photos, of victims in the release of over 3.5 million case files on Epstein.

Bondi did not explicitly apologize for that failure, but said the Justice Department has taken down files when they were made aware that they included victims’ information and that staff had tried to do “our very best in the time frame allotted by the legislation” mandating the release of the files.

“Any accusations of criminal wrongdoing will be taken seriously and investigated,” the attorney general added.

After a little less than a year, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is ending the work of a task force she created to look at big changes to America’s intelligence community.

The panel known as the Director’s Initiative Group was formed in April and charged with rooting out what Gabbard called the politicization of intelligence gathering. The group also studied ways to reduce spending on intelligence and whether reports on high-profile topics like COVID-19 should be declassified.

In announcing the end of the group’s work in a statement Wednesday, Gabbard said it was always intended to be a temporary effort as she began her work coordinating the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies.

The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee lambasted Attorney General Pam Bondi for her leadership of the Justice Department.

“Grand juries of American citizens have repeatedly rejected your vendettas and baseless indictments brought by the hacks left at DOJ,” Raskin said.

He also criticized her for pursuing the president’s retribution campaign, replacing experienced prosecutors with what he said were weaponized “stooges” willing to do Trump’s bidding instead of actual justice.

“Trump orders up prosecutions like pizza and you deliver every time,” he said.

She opened the hearing before the House Judiciary Committee in a packed room at the Capitol with a defense of how she’s “keeping America safe.”

“Crime is declining, this did not happen by accident,” she said, pointing to declining rates of violent crimes.

Bondi is facing questioning from Congress as the Justice Department faces scrutiny, mostly from Democrats, on multiple fronts: how it is handling the investigations of two fatal shootings in Minneapolis by federal officers; how it has handled the mandated release of case files on the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein; and the department’s investigation of lawmakers who produced a video urging U.S. military members not to follow “illegal orders.”

The committee chair, Republican Rep. Jim Jordan, praised how Bondi has implemented President Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration. Meanwhile, the top Democrat on the Judiciary committee, Rep. Jamie Raskin, opened his portion of the hearing by introducing several survivors of Epstein’s abuse who are in the committee room.