Latest news with #EpsteinFiles:Phase1
Hindustan Times
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Megyn Kelly tears into Pam Bondi for ‘embarrassing' Trump, gives advice to Prez before Epstein ‘Hornet's Nest' blows up
Megyn Kelly of SiriusXM suggested on Friday that President Donald Trump needs to listen to Attorney General Pam Bondi before the "Epstein Files" controversy erupts. Megyn Kelly emphasized the need for transparency as public scrutiny of Bondi's role intensifies amid ongoing demands for answers.(Getty Images via AFP) Kelly's remarks came after the Department of Justice (DOJ) discreetly declared that there was no suspicious activity in the killing of pedophile Jeffrey Epstein and that he had no 'client list.' Bondi has faced a great deal of opposition. During TPUSA's Student Action Summit in Florida, Kelly told Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, that she thinks Trump has been unable to focus on the issue due to several things. She went on to say that Bondi has 'embarrassed' Trump through the Epstein case. 'I don't think President Trump is focused on this. He's focused on a lot of other things which are going great, and he needs to be focused on those other things. Jeffrey Epstein's not the most important thing on his agenda by any stretch of the imagination,' Kelly stated. 'I just don't think this has captured his attention quite yet. But it needs to because it's starting to create a real hornet's nest within the administration, and, I've got to be honest, I blame Pam Bondi.' Clarifying that she has nothing against Bondi, she asserted that she had no issues with her nomination and confirmation. 'She's been loyal to the president, and I get that President Trump needs a loyal attorney general, but there are a lot of other people who can be loyal and competent in that job.' 'People get thirsty'; Kelly takes swipe at Bondi Kelly, however, took the opportunity to mock Bondi, saying: 'People get thirsty. They love to see themselves on television. They love to see their name in the lights, they love the attention, they love the little emails and texts and tweets and thumbs-up they get after their appearance and they can feel their star rising.' Kelly further mentioned that Kash Patel and Dan Bongino had questions before joining the FBI. However, they said 'nothing' after entering the agency. "They kept their mouths shut about Epstein,' she said. The public is still demanding complete transparency from the government, and some are even seeking Bondi's resignation. In 2019, Epstein passed away at the New York Metropolitan Correctional Center. Concerned about if his brother committed suicide, Mark, the deceased's sibling, came forward. Bondi faced public criticism on February 27, a day later, for providing conservative influencers with a binder titled 'Epstein Files: Phase 1.' It was eventually discovered that the files included minimal fresh information because the binder's contents were briefly embargoed. Also Read: Elon Musk reacts to X CEO Linda Yaccarino's resignation with just five words Megyn Kelly questions Kash Patel and Dan Bongino's U-turn Kelly further mentioned that Kash Patel and Dan Bongino had questions before joining the FBI. However, they said 'nothing' after entering the agency. "They kept their mouths shut about Epstein,' she said. The public is still demanding complete transparency from the government, and some are even seeking Bondi's resignation. In 2019, Epstein passed away at the New York Metropolitan Correctional Center. Concerned about if his brother committed suicide, Mark, the deceased's sibling, came forward. Dr. Michael Baden, the forensic pathologist that Mark Epstein employed that year, told Fox News that Epstein's postmortem seemed to support homicidal strangulation rather than suicidal hanging.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
AG Bondi faces heat from White House, Trump allies over Epstein files release
When more than a dozen MAGA-aligned activists and social media influencers gathered at the White House last week, they had no idea they were about to be handed binders titled "Epstein Files: Phase 1"-- and neither did senior White House officials who organized the event, according to multiple sources familiar with the event. Attorney General Pam Bondi and her team did not inform White House officials in advance that she planned to distribute the binders, which contained almost no new information regarding convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein -- and now the move has ruffled feathers among those closest to President Donald Trump, including his senior White House staff, sources tell ABC News. The move faced widespread criticism, not only from Democrats but also from some of the president's most loyal supporters. MORE: DOJ releases 'first phase' of Epstein files, including an evidence list White House staff moved quickly to try and contain the fallout, privately reaching out to influencers who were critical of Bondi and the move online, according to sources. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, responding to a request for comment from ABC News, said, "Everyone is working together as one unified team at the direction of President Trump. Any notion to the contrary is completely false." Officials with the Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment. Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while facing federal child sex trafficking charges. The well-connected financier, who owned a private island estate in the U.S. Virgin Islands, has long been rumored to have kept a "client list" of celebrities and politicians, which right-wing influencers have accused authorities of hiding. Multiple sources familiar with both civil and criminal cases against Epstein say no such list has been discovered. The night before last week's event, Bondi told Fox News that the Justice Department planned to publish "a lot of flight logs" and "a lot of names" related to Epstein. However, the binders largely consisted of information previously made public through criminal or civil litigation surrounding Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, leading senior White House staffers to question why Bondi was even teasing the release of new information in the first place. Ahead of the Justice Department's public release, Bondi directed her staff to compile binders of the materials to distribute to the influencers at the event, sources said. She also instructed her team not to inform White House officials of the plan, according to multiple sources, apparently thinking the surprise would be well received inside the West Wing. The White House had organized the event a week earlier to engage influential pro-Trump voices who the president credits with aiding his 2024 campaign. According to multiple sources, the agenda never included distributing Epstein-related materials. During the gathering in the Roosevelt Room, influencers including Liz Wheeler, Rogan O'Handley and Chaya Raichik, the creator of Libs of TikTok, met with Leavitt and Vice President JD Vance. Then, Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel entered the room and handed out binders labeled "The Epstein Files: Phase 1" with the words "By Order of Attorney General Pam Bondi & FBI Director Kash Patel" printed on the cover and the word "Declassified" stamped across the top -- though the documents did not contain any official government declassification markings. The information had not yet been posted on the Justice Department website when press cameras, set up to cover British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's visit, captured influencers leaving the West Wing. Some were seen smiling while holding MAGA hats and the binders -- giving the impression they contained new revelations about one of the most infamous sex trafficking criminals in modern history. The images quickly went viral, generating a mix of speculation, confusion and outrage across the political spectrum. MORE: 5 years after Jeffrey Epstein's arrest, push for accountability continues "If you look at the traffic online over the Epstein release, I have never seen the Left and the Right come together in a moment on a debacle," Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz said on CNN. Behind the scenes, Trump White House officials pointed the finger at Bondi, who they say quietly arranged the release without notifying senior staff, multiple sources told ABC News. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, Republican of Florida, who leads a congressional task force overseeing the release of Epstein-related documents, condemned the move on X, calling it a "complete disappointment" and saying she had not been informed of the plan. Laura Loomer, a far-right activist and one of Trump's most vocal supporters, also blasted the handling of the release, writing on X: "The Epstein files were released in an unprofessional manner with paid, partisan social media influencers to curate their binders for us. I can't trust anything in the binder. Neither should you." Bondi proceeded to react to the fallout by accusing the FBI's New York office of withholding information about the Epstein investigation, but did not specify what material she believed the office to be withholding. She demanded that the office "hand over all records in its possession relating to Epstein" by 8 a.m. last Friday. MORE: Appeals court upholds sex crimes conviction of Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell The Epstein material released last week contained previously published pilots' logs and included redactions performed by prosecutors on the case to protect the identities of potential victims, as well as Epstein's so-called "black book" that has previously been made public. One document never before seen is what the Justice Department is calling "Evidence List," a three-page catalog of material apparently obtained through searches of Epstein's properties in New York and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Bondi claimed in an interview Monday night with Fox's Sean Hannity that she has since received "thousands of pages of documents" that she has the FBI sifting through, but did not detail what exactly had been turned over. On Monday, James Dennehy, the head of the FBI in New York and a well-regarded leader in the New York law enforcement community, told the office he was forced to submit his resignation on Friday as assistant director-in-charge of one of the FBI's most visible posts. Dennehy said he was not given a reason for the decision. AG Bondi faces heat from White House, Trump allies over Epstein files release originally appeared on
Express Tribune
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
House Judiciary Committee faces backlash over Rickroll prank on Epstein files
The House Judiciary Committee sparked controversy on Thursday after posting a misleading link on X (formerly Twitter) that falsely claimed to contain the much-anticipated Jeffrey Epstein files. Instead, the link redirected users to Rick Astley's 1987 song Never Gonna Give You Up, a well-known internet prank known as 'Rickrolling.' The prank came just hours after Attorney General Pam Bondi suggested that additional Epstein-related documents could be released. Given the sensitive nature of the topic, many social media users criticized the GOP-led committee for making light of a serious issue involving high-profile figures and alleged crimes. Rickrolling is an internet meme that originated in 2007, where users are tricked into clicking a link they believe is relevant, only to be redirected to the Never Gonna Give You Up music video. The meme, which started on 4chan, is a variation of an earlier prank known as 'Duckrolling,' where users were misled into clicking a link leading to an image of a duck on wheels. Users on X quickly expressed outrage, calling the move 'insensitive' and 'unprofessional.''This isn't funny. It's disgraceful,' one user wrote. 'There are real victims involved.'Another added, 'A Rickroll? On something as serious as this? Delete this immediately.' Earlier in the day, conservative influencers were seen posing at the White House with binders labeled Epstein Files: Phase 1. However, Trump ally Laura Loomer later claimed that the binders contained no actual files and were merely a photo opportunity. The incident has fueled concerns over transparency regarding the Epstein case, with critics arguing that any legitimate files should be publicly accessible rather than selectively distributed.
Express Tribune
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
X influencers spotted with 'Epstein Files: Phase 1' binders at White House, sparking online debate
A group of X influencers, including Jack Posobiec, DC Draino, Libs of TikTok, Mike Cernovich, Chad Prather, and Liz Wheeler, were seen carrying binders labeled "Epstein Files: Phase 1" at the White House on Thursday. Their appearance followed an announcement by Attorney General Pam Bondi that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) would release additional files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The sighting quickly sparked reactions on social media, with many users comparing the event to the release of the 'Twitter Files.' Some critics argued that the distribution of the documents to select influencers instead of direct public access raised concerns about transparency. One X user commented, "Trump did exactly what I was afraid of, just like Elon did with the 'Twitter Files.' The Epstein files should have been released on a website to the public, not just to a few select people." Pam Bondi should give the Epstein Files to Ricky Gervais and have him present them at the Oscars tonight. It would be the most watched event in human history. — Matt Van Swol (@matt_vanswol) February 27, 2025 The Epstein Files Phase 1: — drefanzor memes (@drefanzor) February 27, 2025 Another user expressed skepticism, writing, "Not blackpilling, but today's Epstein stunt is unfortunately delegitimizing and a poor attempt at recreating some kind of 'Twitter Files' exposé." The 'Twitter Files,' released between December 2022 and March 2023, were internal Twitter communications obtained by independent journalists Matt Taibbi and Bari Weiss, with the backing of Elon Musk. These documents were presented as evidence of alleged coordination between social media companies and the government to control narratives and limit free speech. As debates continue, calls for full public disclosure of the Epstein files remain strong, with many urging the DOJ to make the documents widely accessible.
