The Wall Street Journal reported that Donald Trump's name appears multiple times in US Department of Justice files related to Jeffrey Epstein. The report cites senior administration officials who claim Attorney General Pam Bondi informed Trump in May about his inclusion in the files, along with other high-profile individuals. The White House denies the account, with spokesperson Steven Cheung stating it's "fake news." Trump has also filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Journal over a separate article.

The Department of Justice concluded there was insufficient basis to continue the Epstein investigation, leading to criticism and speculation about Trump's 15-year friendship with Epstein. A federal judge denied a DOJ request to unseal grand jury transcripts related to Epstein, while requests regarding later indictments against Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell remain pending. Epstein pleaded guilty to state charges in 2008 and died by suicide in 2019, while Maxwell was later convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

The House Oversight Committee voted to subpoena the Department of Justice for Epstein-related files and issued a subpoena to Ghislaine Maxwell for a deposition on August 11th. Committee Chair James Comer stated the aim is to inform potential legislative solutions to improve federal efforts to combat sex trafficking.

Impact Statement: The ongoing controversy surrounding the Epstein case and Trump's alleged involvement continues to generate significant political fallout.