FBI chief Kash Patel told the U.S. Senate on Tuesday there was “no credible information” that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked women or underage girls to anyone but himself, as he defended the bureau’s decision to close its review.
Testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Patel said investigative files on Epstein were limited because a U.S. attorney in Florida had improperly narrowed the scope of the original inquiry two decades ago.
“We have released all credible information,” he said.
The Justice Department’s July decision not to release further documents on Epstein angered many of President Donald Trump’s supporters, who expected new disclosures linking the financier to prominent figures.
Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Patel faced sharp questioning from senators, who also pressed him over his handling of the investigation into the recent assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and the firing of veteran FBI officials. Critics accused him of politicising the agency by aligning it closely with Trump, who has publicly defended Patel.
Senator Dick Durbin, the committee’s top Democrat, said Patel had “inflicted untold damage on the FBI,” citing his premature social media post that wrongly claimed a suspect in Kirk’s killing had been arrested. The actual suspect was not detained until a day later.
Patel rejected claims of political bias, highlighting what he said were increases in arrests for violent crime and illegal gun seizures under his leadership. He also dismissed criticism of his partnership with deputy director Dan Bongino, a former Secret Service agent and pro-Trump media figure. “I’m not going anywhere,” Patel told senators.
Two recently dismissed agents issued statements before the hearing condemning their removals, while three former senior officials filed a lawsuit alleging they were purged for being insufficiently loyal to Trump. Patel said those dismissed had “failed to meet the needs of the FBI and uphold their constitutional duties.”
The controversy underscores the political strains facing the FBI in Trump’s second term, as the bureau navigates pressure from both allies and critics over its independence and transparency.
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The U.S. has launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iran, targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) sites as Tehran retaliated against U.S. positions across the region, while Iranian officials said at least five people were killed and dozens wounded at a wedding near Sirik.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that he thinks there is a chance of a peace being reached with Ukraine. He told the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia that he believed there was "a chance of finding a solution," to the conflict.
The Iranian Health Ministry said at least 18 people were killed and 142 others injured in U.S. airstrikes carried out between 30 August 30 and 2 September.
From mounting concerns over record global debt levels to growing tensions over China's trade surplus and Russia's return to the negotiating table, this year's G20 finance meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, highlighted the challenges confronting the global economy.
The European Union's foreign policy chief Kaia Kallas says the bloc will tighten enforcement of sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine. EU foreign ministers were meeting in Ireland following renewed Russian strikes on cities across Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that he thinks there is a chance of a peace being reached with Ukraine. He told the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia that he believed there was "a chance of finding a solution," to the conflict.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has rejected claims that Moroccan authorities orchestrated July’s deadly mass border crossing into Ceuta, saying Spain has found no evidence that Rabat planned or carried out the incident.
Denmark’s Security and Intelligence Service, PET, has warned that Russia is actively preparing sabotage operations against targets in the country, with defence companies supporting Ukraine seen as a particular focus.
Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan have agreed to raise bilateral trade to $200 million within two years, as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif concluded a three-day visit to Kyrgyzstan.
The latest escalation between the United States and Iran is being fought not only on the ground and at sea, but increasingly in the skies above the Gulf where a missile launch or intercepted drone can force an aircraft thousands of metres above the region to change course.
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