Pam Bondi Says Ghislaine Maxwell Should 'Die in Prison' and Insists Epstein's Madame 'Should Not Receive a Pardon' as Fired AG Testifies in Congressional Probe
Pam Bondi testified in front of the House Oversight Committee.
May 29 2026, Published 5:15 p.m. ET
Pam Bondi is finally testifying in front of Congress about the Jeffrey Epstein probe, which she led as Attorney General, and she insisted Ghislaine Maxwell should "die in prison" based on her findings.
The House Oversight Committee is investigating the Department of Justice's handling of the Epstein files, sparking their questioning of Bondi, RadarOnline.com can confirm. She participated in a four-hour interview, insisting more than once that President Trump should not offer Epstein's accomplice, whom she reportedly branded "very evil," a presidential pardon.
Pam Bondi Advises Against a Pardon
Bondi reportedly made her stance on Maxwell clear.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon confirmed to The New York Post that Bondi, who was recently treated for thyroid cancer, made the assertion twice. Dhillon also noted Bondi insisted, "Females who collaborate with sex offenders are worse because they procure other victims for the sex offender."
Bondi's testimony, like many before, was behind closed doors on Friday, May 29.
Pam Bondi Oversaw the Files' Release
Bondi was ridiculed for her leadership of the DOJ, as critics urged for all the Epstein files to be released.
Trump's administration vowed early to release the Epstein files, but appeared to roll back that initiative when there was a communication dispute between the DOJ and the Kash Patel-run FBI.
During a Fox News interview in February 2025, Bondi insisted Epstein's client list was "sitting on my desk right now."
Just days later, Bondi, 60, sent a memo to Patel, 46, in which she expressed that there were more files that the agency withheld. In the letter, she said, "Late yesterday, I learned from a source that the FBI Field Office in New York was in possession of thousands of pages of documents related to the investigation and indictment of Epstein. Despite my repeated requests, the FBI never disclosed the existence of these files."
In July 2025, the DOJ claimed that there was not a "client list" and Bondi was only referring to files overall.
Bondi's team was accused repeatedly of withholding files that otherwise fell under public information. In an effort to force their release, Congress, largely led by Representative Thomas Massie, passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was later signed into law by Trump.
The DOJ was given a deadline of December 19, 2025, for the files' release. However, they did not release a bulk of the files until a month later in January 2026.
Pam Bondi Admits to Redaction Errors in Files
Bondi expressed concern with out the redactions were done in the files.
The committee voted to subpoena the now-former Attorney General in March, responding to heavy public pressure.
She was reportedly asked to answer for the files' redactions, which often skipped over victims and revealed personal information and images. On the other hand, that which was redacted received scrutiny as the public feared a cover-up.
During her testimony on Friday, Bondi confessed the department made "redaction errors," according to a copy of her opening statement obtained by NBC News.
However, Bondi insisted the department fulfilled the standards of the Congressional order with a "good faith effort." She added, “But since day one of this process, this Department has been committed to accountability and transparency. Our stance has always been that the Department stands ready to review any potential evidence of criminal activity related to Epstein and his associates and would pursue appropriate investigative or prosecutorial action wherever the facts and law warrant.”
Following the hefty backlash and amid the committee's inquiry, Bondi was relieved of her position from Trump's administration.
In response to the dismissal, she said, "Leading President Trump’s historic and highly successful efforts to make America safer and more secure has been the honor of a lifetime... I remain eternally grateful for the trust that President Trump placed in me to Make America Safe Again."
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Karoline Leavitt claimed Trump was not considering a pardon.
Maxwell, 64, requested clemency for her 20-year sentence for child sex trafficking.
Trump, 79, has not yet ruled out the possibility. In October 2025, he noted he'd "look at" the possibility, following the Supreme Court's rejection of the case.
However, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed in February, "He said it's not something he's considering or thinking about.”
