NEED TO KNOW
- Pam Bondi promises transparency, but also a brief period to sanitize anything that looks familiar.
- Republicans warn that delaying release will spark rage, suspicion, and at least five new documentaries.
- Democrats say Bondi is buying time so the team can “run a microfiber cloth across every Trump-shaped blur.”
The Justice Department said it will release the Epstein files within thirty days. Officials said this is the time needed to wipe away anything that might look like the president’s face, signature, or golf stance. Pam Bondi told reporters the process is routine, although no one could recall another moment in United States history when investigators needed a cleaning supply before a transparency deadline.
Bondi said her team will follow the Epstein Files Transparency Act. She also said investigators found new material that needs sorting, labeling, and removal of anything that looks like a Mar a Lago security badge. Critics said something is being sorted. They also said the work seems focused on high resolution screenshots that no one asked for.
Thirty Days of Cleaning Power
Both parties warned Bondi not to slow the release. They said even the hint of a delay looks suspicious to a public that sees hidden meaning in every cloud. Several Republicans said people want fast results, clear answers, and a full view of every visitor at Epstein’s properties. Democrats added they want honesty, clarity, and the files delivered before Bondi has time to adjust a ring light.
Senator Lisa Murkowski said people will feel misled if the Justice Department pauses the process. She said voters do not want updates about ongoing investigations unless those updates include names, timestamps, and an apology written in careful handwriting. Senator Thom Tillis said a long delay would spark outrage so strong that even Fox News graphics might need extra proofreading.
Bondi said she will follow the law and protect victims. She said the department already sent thirty three thousand records to Congress. Observers said the number sounds large until people remember how many documents can hide inside one billionaire’s storage space.
New Investigations, Old Problems
Democrats said they doubt the promise of transparency. They said Bondi could use new investigations into Clinton, Summers, and several institutions as reasons to block the release of footage. They also noted that Bondi once claimed the client list was on her desk, then later released a memo that said the list did not exist. Senator Peter Welch said he expects the concealment to continue. He also said the next thirty days will focus on the removal of anything that resembles a club check in sheet.
Bondi repeated that she wants full transparency. She also repeated that thirty days is enough time to prepare the first release. Critics asked why anyone needs a month to unzip a single file. Supporters said the process will rebuild trust, although trust has not been spotted in Washington since the early 1990s.
Nothing says transparency like giving everyone thirty days to stop being transparent
