US attorney general told Trump his name is among many in Epstein files, Wall Street Journal reports
Reuters was not able to immediately verify the Journal's report, which the White House characterised as 'fake news'.
The newspaper's report threatened to expand what has become a political crisis for Mr Trump, whose past friendship with Epstein has drawn renewed scrutiny after his administration said it would not release the files, reversing a campaign promise.
The justice department released a memo earlier this month that there was no basis to continue investigating the Epstein case, triggering a backlash among Mr Trump's political base, who demanded more information about wealthy and powerful people who had interacted with Epstein.
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Mr Trump has not been accused of wrongdoing related to Epstein and has said their friendship ended before Epstein was first prosecuted.
Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. He had pleaded not guilty and the case was dismissed after his death.
Under political pressure last week, Mr Trump directed the justice department to seek the release of sealed grand jury transcripts from the case. A federal judge denied that request earlier on Wednesday.
While the White House immediately dismissed the report as fictitious, Ms Bondi and deputy attorney general Todd Blanche issued a statement that did not directly address the Wall Street Journal's reporting.
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Donald Trump sues Rupert Murdoch and Wall Street Journal publisher for $10bn over Jeffrey Epstein report
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'Nothing in the files warranted further investigation or prosecution, and we have filed a motion in court to unseal the underlying grand jury transcripts,' the officials said. 'As part of our routine briefing, we made the president aware of the findings.'
The Journal reported that Ms Bondi and her deputy told Mr Trump at a White House meeting that his name, as well as those of 'many other high-profile figures', appeared in the files.
Last week, the newspaper reported that Mr Trump had sent Epstein a bawdy birthday note in 2003 that ended, 'Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret.'
Reuters has not confirmed the authenticity of the alleged letter.
Mr Trump has sued the Journal and its owners, including billionaire Rupert Murdoch, asserting that the birthday note was fake.
Since the justice department's memo, Mr Trump has faced growing frustration among his base of supporters, after far-right figures spent years promoting conspiracy theories – at times echoed by Mr Trump – about Epstein and alleged ties to prominent Democratic politicians.
Epstein hung himself in prison in 2019, according to the New York City chief medical examiner. But his connections with wealthy and powerful individuals prompted speculation that his death was not a suicide. The justice department said in its memo this month that it had concluded Epstein died by his own hand.
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Top Republican Mike Johnson shuts US Congress early to avoid Epstein vote
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In a sign of how the issue has bedevilled Mr Trump and his fellow Republicans, US House speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday abruptly said he would send lawmakers home for the summer a day early to avoid a floor fight over a vote on the Epstein files.
His decision temporarily stymied a push by Democrats and some Republicans for a vote on a bipartisan resolution that would require the justice department to release all Epstein-related documents.
More than two-thirds of Americans believe the Trump administration is hiding information about Epstein's clients, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted last week.
Wednesday's court motion stemmed from federal investigations into Epstein in 2005 and 2007, according to court documents. US district judge Robin Rosenberg found that the justice department's request in Florida did not fall into any of the exceptions to rules requiring grand jury material be kept secret.
The justice department also has pending requests to unseal transcripts in Manhattan federal court related to later indictments brought against Epstein and his former associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence after her conviction for child sex trafficking and other crimes.
– Reuters
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2025
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