Epstein files fallout rattling FBI, DOJ

WASHINGTON — The US Justice Department and the FBI were struggling to contain the fallout from last week's decision to withhold records from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, which rankled influential far-right media personalities and supporters of President Donald Trump.

The move, which included the acknowledgment that one particular sought-after document never actually existed, sparked a contentious conversation between Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino at the White House last week.

The cascade of disappointment and disbelief arising from the refusal to disclose additional, much-hyped records from the Epstein investigation underscores the struggles of FBI and Justice Department leaders to resolve the conspiracy theories and amped-up expectations that they themselves had stoked with claims of a cover-up and hidden evidence.

Infuriated by the failure of officials to unlock, as promised, the secrets of the so-called "deep state", Trump supporters on the far right have grown restless and even demanded change at the top.

Trump urged his supporters to stop attacking Bondi over the Justice Department's recent findings related to Epstein.

"What's going on with my 'boys' and, in some cases, 'gals?'" Trump said on Saturday on his social media platform, Truth Social.

Trump said "nobody cares about" Epstein, and that more time or energy must not be wasted on his case, as he tried to unite his base of supporters in a nearly 400-word post on Truth Social.

Billionaire Elon Musk asked Trump to just release the case files as promised.

"Seriously. He said 'Epstein' half a dozen times while telling everyone to stop talking about Epstein. Just release the files as promised," Musk said in a reply to a post on X.

Trump's defense came amid the backlash over the Epstein files. Last Monday, a memo released by the US Department of Justice said there is no evidence that Epstein kept a "client list" or was murdered, provoking incredulity over the findings and criticism of the investigation team from Trump's political supporters.

For years, Trump and his supporters touted the release of Epstein's client list.

Agencies - Xinhua