Bondi demands complete Epstein files in 24 hours

President Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 23, 2025 directing declassification of records related to the JFK, RFK, and MLK assassinations, along with Epstein files. Attorney General Bondi began reviewing Epstein-related material at Trump's direction, setting the stage for the Phase 1 release five weeks later.

On Feb. 27, 2025, the White House invited about a dozen conservative influencers to view binders labeled 'Epstein Files: Phase 1.' Attendees included Liz Wheeler, Jack Posobiec, Chaya Raichik of LibsofTikTok, and Scott Presler. The binders contained roughly 200 pages of mostly previously available material from the Ghislaine Maxwell trial, including flight logs and a redacted contact book.

Conservative influencers expressed immediate disappointment. Chad Prather said 'we didn't get the information we wanted.' Scott Presler called it 'not a smoking gun.' Liz Wheeler noted the binder lacked 'bombshells' or 'juicy stuff.' Even Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) demanded the administration release 'the information we asked for.'

Hours after the backlash, AG Bondi sent a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel blaming the bureau. She said she'd learned 'from a source' that the FBI's 🗽New York field office held thousands of pages of Epstein investigation records that were never disclosed to her despite repeated requests. She demanded the full files by 8 a.m. the next morning.

Bondi's letter included two directives: deliver all records, documents, audio and video recordings, and materials related to Epstein 'regardless of how such information was obtained' by 8 a.m. Feb. 28, and deliver a comprehensive report of findings with proposed personnel action within 14 days.

By the morning of Feb. 28, Bondi claimed the FBI delivered a 'truckload' of evidence. The full contents of this delivery were not independently verified or made public at that time. Bondi said her office would review the material 'as fast as we can, but go through it very cautiously to protect all the victims of Epstein.'

The FBI subsequently put roughly 1,000 Information Management Division personnel on 24-hour shifts to review about 100,000 Epstein-related records. Hundreds of additional FBI 🗽New York field office staff joined the effort. MSMichael Seidel, the section chief of the FBI's Record/Information Dissemination Section, objected to the rushed process and was forced to resign.

On Feb. 21, 2025, six days before the Phase 1 release, Bondi told Fox News that the Epstein client list was 'sitting on my desk right now to review.' In July 2025, the DOJ released a joint statement with the FBI saying there was no evidence any 'client list' existed and no reason to believe uncharged parties should be charged. Bondi later said her February comment referred to the case file, not a specific list.