A senior aide to Donald Trump has launched a scathing public attack on former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, accusing her of a significant failure in her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
'Binders Full of Nothingness': The White House Stunt
In a blistering interview with Vanity Fair published on Tuesday, Trump's chief of staff Susie Wiles laid into Bondi's actions earlier this year. The criticism centres on an event in February, where Bondi distributed binders labelled 'The Epstein Files: Phase 1' to a group of conservative influencers at the White House.
After a meeting with Bondi, the influencers proudly showed the binders to the press corps. However, Wiles claims the contents were devoid of new revelations. 'I think she completely whiffed on appreciating that was the very targeted group that cared about this,' Wiles stated. The binders reportedly contained only Epstein's phone book and contacts with redacted addresses, which Wiles dismissed as 'binders full of nothingness'.
Contradictions and the 'Client List' Claim
Wiles further criticised Bondi for comments made in a Fox News interview on February 21st. During that appearance, Bondi claimed she had Epstein's so-called 'client list' sitting on her desk for review.
'First she gave them binders full of nothingness. And then she said that the witness list, or the client list, was on her desk,' Wiles continued. 'There is no client list, and it sure as hell wasn't on her desk.' This assertion aligns with a Department of Justice (DOJ) memo from July, which stated that Epstein did not possess a roster of powerful friends involved in child abuse.
Prison Transfer Sparks Presidential Anger
The powerful Trump aide, known by the nickname 'ICE Maiden', also targeted Bondi and her Deputy Attorney General, Todd Blanche, for their role in moving Epstein's former associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. Maxwell, convicted for sex trafficking, was transferred from prison to a medium-security facility.
Wiles claimed the meeting with Maxwell was Blanche's idea and that Trump was neither aware of nor consulted about her transfer to a new prison camp in Texas. The move reportedly infuriated the former president. 'The president was ticked,' Wiles said. 'The president was mighty unhappy. I don't know why they moved her. Neither does the president.'
Wiles noted that figures like FBI Director Kash Patel and commentator Dan Bongino truly understood the significance of the Epstein case, with Patel having long advocated for the files' release.
Bondi has not yet issued a public response to Wiles's sharp criticism. The controversy emerges as the Justice Department prepares to release all remaining investigative files and grand jury testimony related to Jeffrey Epstein this Friday.
