U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the release of all grand jury testimony related to the case of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following mounting backlash from his political base over the administration’s recent decision to close the case.
In a post on Truth Social Thursday night, Trump stated:
“Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval. This SCAM, perpetuated by the Democrats, should end, right now!”
Attorney General Pam Bondi, whose office released a controversial memo on July 6 asserting that Epstein had no co-conspirators and died by suicide in 2019, confirmed she would comply with the president’s directive pending judicial authorization.
Trump’s approval rating has taken a hit over the past two weeks following the announcement that the Epstein investigation had been formally closed. The backlash has intensified as Trump continues to denounce the Epstein case as a Democratic “hoax,” with increasingly combative posts on Truth Social. The reaction has led some longtime supporters to publicly question whether Trump may be concealing information.
It remains unclear whether a judge will approve the release of the grand jury testimony, or whether the documents—if released—will include substantive new details. Analysts believe the move is unlikely to quell growing public frustration, particularly among segments of the Republican base demanding transparency.
Uncertainty also surrounds whether the grand jury materials would pertain to Epstein’s 2019 arrest or the earlier federal investigation from the mid-2000s. In the latter case, Epstein was granted a controversial non-prosecution agreement that extended immunity to “any potential co-conspirators, named or unnamed.”
On Thursday night, The Wall Street Journal published an article alleging that Trump had sent Epstein a birthday card in 2003 containing graphic illustrations. Trump denied the report and subsequently announced plans to sue the newspaper, stating that he personally contacted the outlet in an attempt to prevent the story’s publication.