The White House has rejected claims that Donald Trump is among hundreds of names in justice department documents related to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, labelling the reports as 'fake news'. The Wall Street Journal had reported that Attorney General Pam Bondi informed Trump of the fact during a routine briefing in May, though it noted his name appearing did not indicate any wrongdoing.
A White House spokesperson responded: 'This is another fake news story, just like the previous story by The Wall Street Journal.' The denial comes as a US federal judge on Wednesday denied a justice department request to unseal grand jury transcripts related to a criminal investigation of Epstein.
Epstein was accused of sexually abusing dozens of teenage girls in the early 2000s, with the case drawing attention due to his and Ghislaine Maxwell's links to prominent figures. During his campaign, Trump promised to release files relating to Epstein, but nothing materialised, sparking frustration.
According to the Journal, officials told Trump that the justice department does not plan to release more documents, citing reasons including child pornography and victim privacy. Trump has tried to distance himself from Epstein, saying they fell out in 2004.
Attention has grown since the justice department released a memo on July 6 stating no further disclosures. Even MAGA supporters and Republicans have called for transparency. Bondi earlier said she had a 'truckload' of files to review and that a 'client list' was on her desk.
Amid pressure, Trump asked Bondi to make public 'pertinent' grand jury manuscripts, but judges in Florida and New York rejected requests to unseal transcripts. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department is seeking a meeting with Maxwell, who is serving 20 years for her role in Epstein's abuse.
