US Vice President JD Vance admitted that the Trump administration mishandled communications regarding the release of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In a podcast interview released Wednesday, Vance said the administration's handling of the Epstein files disclosure drew widespread criticism from both political parties.
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The Department of Justice faced repeated delays in releasing information about Epstein, prompting Congress to pass a measure forcing federal agencies to disclose a massive collection of records tied to the investigation.
Bondi's Role Under Fire
Former Attorney General Pam Bondi claimed the alleged client list was immediately available on her desk, which led to public backlash after she distributed folders containing mostly public information.
Vance defended Bondi, stating he knows her and likes her, and does not believe there was anything malicious in her actions.
However, the Vice President acknowledged that Bondi overstated what the administration had and did not have, and that her remarks damaged public confidence in transparency.
"I think Pam was trying to respond to the political moment. I think she overstated what we had and what we didn't have," Vance said.
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The administration faced ongoing political liability over the files during Donald Trump's second term. In December, officials released heavily redacted call logs, photos, and grand jury testimony.
"We absolutely screwed up the comms of the Epstein files. Like, we just did," Vance admitted.
Government officials failed to meet deadlines for full disclosure, maintaining public scrutiny over remaining hidden portions of the federal investigation files.
Vance dismissed suggestions that the communications failure was an attempt to hide something, saying, "But do I think the reason we screwed up the comms is because we were trying to hide something?
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No."
