Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Speaker Mike Johnson calls for Bondi to explain Epstein statement July 16, 2025 | Frieda Powers | Print Article

 

Speaker Mike Johnson calls for Bondi to explain Epstein statement

July 16, 2025 |  |  Print Article


Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) seemed to pivot from the stand President Donald Trump has taken about his attorney general’s handling of the documents related to Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump has defended Attorney General Pam Bondi and has even urged moving on from the demands for the files to be released on the late convicted sex offender. But Speaker Johnson, though he asserted he trusts the president, believes transparency is key.

“I’m for transparency,” he said on The Benny Show, responding to host Benny Johnson’s question about the possibility of having Epstein’s one-time girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, testify before Congress.

“We’re intellectually consistent in this. Look, [former President] Reagan used to tell us, we should trust the American people, and I believe in that principle, and I know President Trump does as well,” Johnson said. “I trust him. I mean, he put together a team of his choosing, and they’re doing a great job. It’s a very delicate subject, but we should put everything out there and let the people decide it.”

“The White House and the White House team are privy to facts that I don’t know. I mean, this isn’t my lane, I haven’t been involved in that. But I agree with the sentiment that we need to put it out there,” the Louisiana Republican continued.

The speaker noted that Bondi declared earlier this year that an Epstein client list was “sitting on my desk right now for review.” She later clarified that she was referring to files on the Epstein case and not a specific client list.

“She needs to come forward and explain that to everybody,” Johnson said.

“I like Pam. I mean, think she’s done a good job. We need the DOJ [Department of Justice] focusing on the major priorities, so let’s get this thing resolved so that they can deal with violent crime and public safety and election integrity and going after ActBlue and the things the president is most concerned about, as we are,” he added.

This week, Trump suddenly declared that the Epstein files were “made up” by Democrats, and stood behind Bondi, saying she has handled everything “very well.” But there has been major blowback, even from some of the president’s staunchest supporters, after a Justice Department and FBI memo claimed there was no client list and nothing to rule out Epstein’s death as anything other than a suicide.

“I’m anxious to get this behind us,” Johnson said on the podcast, complaining that “we’re having to spend our time talking about this”  in the wake of major wins for the administration in other areas.

“Let’s get it resolved,” he added. “What Epstein was involved in was an unspeakable evil. We need to stand against it not just in word, but in deed.”

at

Contact Form

Name

Email *

Message *