Attorney General Pam Bondi walked into Wednesday’s House Judiciary Committee hearing ready for a fight, clearly eager to shift attention away from the growing controversy surrounding the Epstein files and prove her loyalty to Donald Trump.
But the strategy backfired.
Over nearly four hours of testimony, Bondi offered more confrontation than clarity. Instead of directly addressing concerns about how the Justice Department handled the release of Jeffrey Epstein–related documents, she repeatedly deflected questions, sparred with Democratic lawmakers, and leaned heavily into political messaging. She praised Trump as “the greatest president in American history,” touted the stock market under his leadership, and portrayed the scrutiny facing the department as part of a partisan attack.
One of the most uncomfortable moments came when Rep. Pramila Jayapal urged Bondi to face Epstein survivors seated in the room and apologize for the department’s mass file release, which reportedly exposed victims’ identities without their consent. Though Bondi had expressed general sympathy for victims in her opening remarks, she declined to turn toward them or offer a direct apology, dismissing the exchange as political “theatrics.” Critics saw the moment as deeply insensitive.
Throughout the hearing, Bondi adopted a combative tone more often associated with campaign rallies than with a sitting attorney general. She interrupted lawmakers, accused Democrats of trying to smear the president, and shifted repeatedly from policy defense to political offense. During a tense exchange, Rep. Jamie Raskin accused her of dodging his questions. Bondi responded with a personal jab, calling him a “washed-up loser lawyer.”
Her remarks underscored what many observers viewed as a troubling blur between the role of the nation’s top law enforcement officer and that of a political surrogate. “You sit here and you attack the president and I’m not going to have it,” Bondi said at one point. “I am not going to put up with it.”
Democrats intensified their criticism as the hearing progressed. Raskin accused the Justice Department of orchestrating what he described as a “massive Epstein cover-up,” arguing that victims were being sidelined while powerful figures were protected. Even Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, who supported the release of the files, sharply criticized the department for disclosing victims’ personal information. He told Bondi that the release compounded survivors’ trauma.
Bondi pushed back aggressively, accusing critics of selective outrage and suggesting that some lawmakers were motivated primarily by Trump’s mention in the files. She dismissed Massie’s concerns as politically driven.
The fallout has extended beyond Capitol Hill. According to trading data from Kalshi markets, Bondi’s odds of being the first cabinet member forced out have jumped sharply in just 24 hours, rising from 12 percent to 22 percent and surpassing other cabinet officials.
What was meant to showcase steadfast loyalty instead raised fresh questions about leadership, judgment, and accountability. In attempting to shield the president and project strength, Bondi may have deepened doubts about her position and intensified speculation about how long she can remain in it.
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