The department was deployed, in effect, as an arm of the president’s rapid-response operation to help him muscle through a damaging news cycle over Jeffrey Epstein, former and current officials said.

Earlier Friday, President Trump said he would ask Bondi and the DOJ to investigate Epstein’s ties to prominent Democrats.

The Epstein files scandal continues to follow Pam Bondi as she is under renewed scrutiny from both parties over what critics call a “shocking” Epstein-related cover-up. Fresh emails released by the House Oversight Committee have raised new questions about her role in handling the files.