White House reaction to report say President Trump name dey Epstein files

BBC News

24-07-2025

Di White House don react afta reports say dem tell US President Donald Trump for May say im dey among hundreds of names for di justice department documents relating to di late convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Di Wall Street Journal say di Attorney General Pam Bondi bin inform di president during one routine briefing. Dem say appearing for di documents no be sign of any wrongdoing by Trump.
For dia response, White House tok-tok pesin call am "fake news story".
Di Trump administration dey under pressure to release more information about Epstein - wey be Trump friend bifor, according to di president, dem fall out for 2004.
During im campaign for di presidency last year, Trump bin promise to release di files about di well-connected sex offender.
But im supporters dey frustrated wit di way di administration dey handle di issue, including dia failure to deliver di rumoured "client list" of Epstein. For one memo earlier dis month, di justice department and FBI say dat kind of list no dey.
Epstein die for inside New York prison cell for 2019 wia im bin dey await im trial on sex trafficking charges, following in earlier conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. Dem rule im death as suicide.
Im crimes, and di nature of im death, na subject of conspiracy theories.
Separately on Wednesday, one US judge for Florida deny di di justice department bid to unseal court files on Epstein wey relate to im prosecution dia.
Di same day, a sub-committee of di US House of Representatives bin vote to subpoena di justice department for dia files. Di committee chairman must sign di legal order bifor dem fit officially issue am.
During her briefing of Trump for May, Bondi bin tell di president say di files contain hearsay about many pipo, including Trump, di Wall Street Journal write for dia report.
E contradict wetin di president tok earlier dis month, wey b e to respond "no, no" wen one reporter bin ask am weda Bondi bin tell am say im name appear for di files.
Bondi also reportedly bin tell di president say Epstein records bin include child pornography and victim information wey dem no suppose release, na wetin di Wall Street Journal report on Wednesday.
Say your name dey for documents no be evidence of any criminal activity, no be say Trump don ever dey accused of wrongdoing in connection wit Epstein case.
Later, oda US media outlets match di story, but BBC neva independently fit verify am.
Steven Cheung, tok-tok pesin for Trump, call di report "nothing more dan a continuation of di fake news stories concocted by di Democrats and di liberal media, just like di Obama Russia-gate scandal, wey President Trump bin dey right about".
Di attorney general say: "Nothing inside di files warrant further investigation or prosecution."
FBI Director Kash Patel say: "Di criminal leakers and Fake News media dey try very hard to undermine President Trump wit smears and lies, and dis story no dey different."
But one unnamed White House official tell Reuters news agency say dem no dey deny say Trump name appear for di documents.
Di official point to di Epstein files wey justice department release months earlier wey include Trump.
Those files, dem distribute am to conservative influencers for February, e include di phone numbers of some of Trump family members, including im daughter.
Trump bin direct Bondi to seek di release of all grand jury materials, prompting di justice department to ask courts for Florida and New York to unseal files related to cases for both of those jurisdictions.
But Judge Robin Rosenberg rule on Wednesday say releasing papers from Epstein Florida case go violate state guidelines governing grand jury secrecy.
"Di court hands dey tied," di Obama appointee rule for her 12-page order.
Di transcripts in question na from Florida investigation into Epstein case for 2006 wey lead to am to dey charged wit soliciting a minor for prostitution.
Judge Rosenberg also refuse to transfer di issue to New York, wia two judges dey separately decide weda to unseal transcripts related to Epstein 2019 sex-trafficking probe. Dat request still dey pending.
Di latest developments come as interest bin switch back to Ghislaine Maxwell, one convicted sex-trafficker wey dey serve 20 years in prison for helping Epstein abuse young girls.
One senior justice department official dey plan to meet di former British socialite to discuss her knowledge of di case, her attorney confam am to BBC.
As well as dia subpoena for di justice department files, Republicans for di House Oversight Committee bin earlier send a legal summons for Maxwell to appear bifor di body remotely from prison on 11 August.
Her attorney, David Oscar Markus, tell BBC say dat na if she choose to testify, rather dan invoke her constitutional right to remain silent, "she go testify truthfully, as she always tok say she go do".
"As for di congressional subpoena, Madam Maxwell dey take dis one step at a time," im add.
"She dey look forward to her meeting wit di Department of Justice, and dat discussion go help inform how she go proceed."
House Speaker Mike Johnson don warn say Maxwell no fit dey trusted to provide accurate testimony.
Di Louisiana Republican say: "I mean, dis na pesin wey don dey sentenced to many, many years in prison for terrible, unspeakable, conspiratorial acts and acts against innocent young pipo."
Bondi tok earlier dis month say di US justice department don uncover no "incriminating client list" on Epstein.
She also say na im take im own life for a New York jail for 2019 - despite conspiracies ova im death.
Bondi bin previously suggest say she go make major disclosures for di case, e say she get "a lot of names" and "a lot of flight logs".
Di attorney general reversal dey make some of Trump most strong supporters vex, wey dey call for her to resign.
Democrats don seize on di Republican infighting to accuse di Trump administration of a cover-up.
On Tuesday, Speaker Johnson close down congressional vote for summer break one day early, in attempt to stop legislative efforts to force di release of documents wey dey related to Epstein.
But Republican rebels for one House Oversight Subcommittee vote on Wednesday afternoon to force di justice department to release di files.
Three Republicans - Nancy Mace, Scott Perry and Brian Jack - join five Democrats to vote for di subpoena. Two Republicans vote against.
But James Comer, di Republican chairman of di House Oversight Committee, must sign am off in order for di legal summons to proceed.