US President Donald Trump said the US Justice Department should release all "credible" information from its probe into disgraced figure Jeffrey Epstein as he sought to douse a firestorm of criticism from his supporters over his handling of the case.
The president is facing the most serious split of his political career from his famously loyal right-wing base over suspicions that his administration is covering up lurid details of Epstein's crimes to protect rich and powerful figures they say are implicated.
"The attorney general has handled that very well," the Republican leader said of Pam Bondi, who leads the Justice Department, when he was asked about the case at the White House.
Trump repeated his claim that the Epstein files were "made up" by his Democratic predecessors in the White House, even though he said multiple times during the election campaign that he would "probably" release them.
"She's handled it very well, and it's going to be up to her," Trump said. "Whatever she thinks is credible, she should release."
Trump's latest comments mark a softening of his stance, after he voiced frustration in the Oval Office and online about his supporters' fixation on Epstein and pleaded with them to move on.
The president's "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) movement has long held as an article of faith that "Deep State" elites are protecting Epstein's most powerful associates in the Democratic Party and Hollywood.
Trump has faced growing outrage since his administration effectively shut down Epstein-related conspiracy theories, which have become MAGA obsessions.
The Justice Department and FBI said in a memo made public earlier this month that there is no evidence that the disgraced financier kept a "client list" or was blackmailing powerful figures.
They also dismissed the claim that Epstein was murdered in jail, confirming his death by suicide, and said they would not be releasing any more information on the probe.
'Let the people decide'
It marked the first time Trump's officials had publicly refuted the stories, pushed for years by numerous right-wing figures, notably including the FBI's top two officials, before Trump hired them.
Beyond angering supporters, the issue has opened a schism within his administration, sparking a fiery blow-up between Bondi and Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino, who is said to be considering resigning.
Trump's attempts to take the sting out of the controversy have largely failed, with far-right influencers continuing to criticise him online.
Even his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, a Fox News host, has called for "more transparency" from the administration.
Trump's most powerful ally in the US Congress, House Speaker Mike Johnson, pushed on Tuesday for the administration to release more information about the case, and his stance has been echoed by multiple Republicans.
"We should put everything out there and let the people decide," he told MAGA influencer Benny Johnson's internet show, calling on Bondi to "come forward and explain" apparent discrepancies in her statements about the case.
Not going away
Meanwhile, Bondi suggested she has no plans to step down as she dodged questions about the case and her clash with Bongino.
Pressed by reporters during an announcement touting drug seizures, Bondi sidestepped questions about the fallout of the Trump administration's decision not to release more records related to the case.
With some calling for her resignation, Bondi made clear she intends to remain attorney general.
"I'm going to be here for as long as the president wants to be here," Bondi said. "And I believe he's made that crystal clear."
She steered the conversation towards the drug seizure.
"This, today, is about fentanyl overdoses throughout our country and people who have lost loved ones to fentanyl," Bondi said in response to a question from a reporter about the Epstein files. "That's the message that we're here to send today. I'm not going to talk about Epstein."
Her refusal to address the turmoil may only further frustrate conservative influencers who have been calling for transparency and accountability over the wealthy financier's case.
