What began as a campaign pledge to expose the truth about Epstein’s network has morphed into a public relations disaster for Attorney General Pam Bondi, who repeatedly promised revelations that never materialized. The Trump administration’s highly publicized promises to release explosive Jeffrey Epstein files have ended with a dramatic reversal, as the Department of Justice and FBI concluded Monday that no “client list” exists and definitively ruled the disgraced financier’s death a suicide.

The memo represents “a public walk-back of a theory that the Trump administration had helped promote,” according to the Associated Press, with Bondi having suggested in a Fox News interview that such a document was “sitting on my desk” in preparation for release.

The Trump administration, particularly through Attorney General Pam Bondi, actively promoted a theory that suggested Epstein maintained a so-called “client list,” a document that supposedly contained names of high-profile individuals who were involved in his sex trafficking activities or who could be blackmailed by him.

In a Feb. 2025 Fox News interview, when asked if the DOJ would release “the list of Jeffrey Epstein clients,” Bondi replied: “It’s sitting on my desk right now to review. That’s been a directive by President Trump. I’m reviewing that.”

Bondi repeatedly promised that “everything is going to come out to the public” and that “Americans have a right to know.” She claimed there were “tens of thousands of videos” showing Epstein “with children or child porn.” She suggested the Biden administration had “sat on these documents” and was part of a cover-up.

In Feb. 2025, the administration invited conservative influencers to the White House and gave them binders marked “The Epstein Files: Phase 1” and “Declassified.”

On March 7, Attorney General Pam Bondi publicly claimed that the Justice Department was in possession of videos related to Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal activities. She repeatedly suggested there were approximately 250 girls who were victims of sex crimes and sex trafficking.

On April 22, 2025, when asked about the timeline for the release of “Phase 2” of the Epstein files, Donald Trump responded, “I don’t know. I’ll speak to the Attorney General.” Trump had promised during his 2024 campaign to declassify and release government files related to Epstein, including the rumored “client list.”

Jeffrey Epstein was first convicted in 2008 after pleading guilty to state charges of soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution in Florida. This plea deal required him to register as a sex offender and serve a 13-month jail sentence, much of which was spent on work release. In 2019, Epstein faced new federal charges in New York, including sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, based on allegations that he exploited dozens of underage girls between 2002 and 2005. Epstein pleaded not guilty to these federal charges but died in jail before the case could proceed to trial.

Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate, was convicted in December 2021 on five federal counts, including conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and sex trafficking of a minor. The charges stemmed from her role in recruiting, grooming, and trafficking underage girls for Epstein’s abuse over several years. Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison and fined $750,000 for her involvement in the criminal network.

In a memo released by the DOJ, the investigation found no incriminating “client list” and no credible evidence that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals. The FBI stated that there was no evidence to justify investigations into uncharged third parties.

The FBI conducted digital and physical searches, uncovering more than 300 gigabytes of data and physical evidence including thousands of images and videos, many involving victims who were minors or appeared to be minors.

Sensitive information about over one thousand victims was found throughout the materials, including names, physical descriptions, and employment history. The DOJ said that much of the material remains sealed to protect victims’ privacy and prevent further trauma.

The FBI reaffirmed that Epstein died by suicide in his Metropolitan Correctional Center cell on August 10, 2019. 

The DOJ has made both the raw and enhanced video footage from the investigation publicly available.