U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi became embroiled in a shouting match with Democratic lawmakers during a combative House Judiciary Committee hearing on 11 February 2026, after she refused to apologise to Jeffrey Epstein survivors seated in the room.
The hearing descended into an angry exchange after Bondi refused to apologise to survivors of the convicted sex offender who were seated just a few metres behind her.
The confrontation began when Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal asked 11 survivors in the room to stand and indicate whether they had been able to meet with the Trump Justice Department. They all stood up and Jayapal then urged Bondi to turn around and apologise for what she said the department had put them through.
Bondi refused, saying she would not “get in the gutter with these theatrics.” As the exchange ended, she was heard muttering “unprofessional.”
Jayapal accused the Justice Department of protecting the identities of some Epstein associates while failing to properly shield victims’ names and identifying details, despite legal requirements. When Bondi started to reference her predecessor Merrick Garland, Jayapal cut in, insisting the issue was Bondi’s own leadership and accountability.
The tension quickly spread across the panel. New York Democrat Jerrold Nadler pressed Bondi on how many of Epstein’s alleged co-conspirators had been indicted or were under investigation, contrasting that with cases involving figures seen as political opponents of President Donald Trump.
Counter accusations
Bondi did not provide figures, responding instead that she would answer questions “the way I want to answer the question” and again rejecting what she described as attempts to draw her into “the gutter.”
The committee's senior Democrat, sought to intervene and restore Nadler’s speaking time, Bondi lashed out, at one point questioning Raskin’s credentials and accusing Democrats of attacking the president.
“You all should be apologising. You sit here and you attack the president,” she said.
Bondi defended the administration’s handling of the Epstein material, saying more than 500 reviewers and attorneys had spent thousands of hours examining the records. She said any names released inadvertently were “immediately redacted” once identified. She also said more than 3 million pages had been released and credited Donald Trump with signing the legislation requiring disclosure, calling him “the most transparent president in the nation’s history.”
Earlier in the hearing, Bondi said the Justice Department’s core mission is to fight violent crime and uphold the rule of law. She described Epstein as a “monster” and said the FBI remains ready to hear from anyone who was abused.
Republican Chairman Jim Jordan defended Bondi in his opening remarks, arguing she was reversing what he characterised as politicisation under the previous administration. Raskin, by contrast, accused her of turning the department into Trump’s “instrument of revenge” and criticised her handling of both the Epstein files and other investigations.
Beyond Epstein, lawmakers questioned Bondi about the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis, co-operation with local authorities and “Arctic Frost” - the FBI investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 US presidential election. The hearing repeatedly veered from oversight into partisan confrontation, highlighting the deep divide over the direction of the Justice Department under President Donald Trump.
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Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited Türkiye on Wednesday as part of a large delegation for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
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Day five of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics delivered raw emotion, technical brilliance and striking alpine backdrops as athletes battled for medals across northern Italy. Photographers continue capturing the defining moments of the Games, freezing triumph and celebration in images.
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Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited Türkiye on Wednesday as part of a large delegation for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Russia will continue to adhere to the strategic missile and warhead ceilings set under the now-expired New START agreement, provided the United States does not exceed those thresholds, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told lawmakers on Wednesday.
Day five of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics delivered raw emotion, technical brilliance and striking alpine backdrops as athletes battled for medals across northern Italy. Photographers continue capturing the defining moments of the Games, freezing triumph and celebration in images.
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