Trump directs AG Bondi to work on unsealing grand jury transcripts in Epstein case: 'We are ready'

President Donald Trump late Thursday directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to work on releasing grand jury transcripts in the case of Jeffrey Epstein. 

It's unclear exactly when any testimony may go public. The Justice Department is expected to file Friday asking a judge to unseal transcripts.

The order came after a barrage of criticism against the Trump administration following the release of a joint DOJ-FBI memo that concluded there was no evidence that the disgraced financier had blackmailed powerful people, kept a client list or was killed while in jail. 

The memo has created deep fissures among Trump supporters who have complained of a lack of transparency from the administration. A source told Fox News Digital that FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino had been considering resigning over the matter, though he has not stated anything publicly. 

The president, meanwhile, has pushed back at the criticism, calling the charges a "hoax" and contending that his supporters are being "duped" by Democrats. Trump posted to Truth Social on Friday morning, "If there was a ‘smoking gun’ on Epstein, why didn’t the Dems, who controlled the ‘files’ for four years, and had [then-Attorney General Merrick Garland] and [then-FBI Director James Comey] in charge, use it? BECAUSE THEY HAD NOTHING!!!"

BONDI SHOULD RELEASE 'CREDIBLE' EPSTEIN FILES, TRUMP SAYS

FILE: U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks alongside President Donald Trump on recent Supreme Court rulings in the briefing room at the White House on June 27, 2025 in Washington, DC.  (Getty Images)

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Before joining the Trump administration, Bondi was among the staunchest advocates for releasing the Epstein list, telling Fox News’ Sean Hannity in 2024: "It should have come out a long time ago." 

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the FBI handed over a "truckload" of Jeffrey Epstein files to the DOJ. (New York State Sex Offender Registry via AP | Getty Images)

The Justice Department released a new batch of Epstein files in February, but the documents revealed no new revelations in the case. Many of the documents had already been released during the federal criminal trial of Epstein's associate, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell. 

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Trump has defended Bondi over the latest fallout, telling reporters earlier this week: "She’s handled it very well, and it’s going to be up to her, whatever she thinks is credible she should release." 

On Thursday, Trump said he had directed Bondi to release all "pertinent" transcripts on the case.   

President Donald Trump listens during a meeting with Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, July 16, 2025, in Washington.  (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

"Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Testimony, subject to Court approval," Trump wrote on Truth Social late Thursday. "This SCAM, perpetuated by the Democrats, should end, right now!" 

Bondi said her team was "ready to move the court tomorrow to unseal the grand jury transcripts." 

Epstein, a 66-year-old millionaire financier with a private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands, died in federal custody in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. 

Fox News Digital’s Rachel Wolf and Ashley Oliver contributed to this report.

Bradford Betz is a Fox News Digital breaking reporter covering crime, political issues, and much more.