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AG Bondi Congressional Testimony Transcript (February 2026)

Transcript excerpts and summary of Attorney General Pam Bondi's five-hour congressional testimony on the DOJ's Epstein files release, ongoing investigations, and the 'politically exposed persons' list.

U.S. House Judiciary Committee / C-SPAN
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Overview

On February 5, 2026, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi appeared before the U.S. Congress and testified for approximately five hours regarding the Department of Justice's handling of the Epstein investigation files. The testimony followed the DOJ's January 30, 2026, release of 3.5 million pages of Epstein investigation materials through the DOJ Epstein Library, as required by the Epstein Files Transparency Act (H.R. 4405).

The hearing was broadcast live on C-SPAN and covered extensively by CNN, NBC News, the New York Times, and the Associated Press. It represents the most extensive public testimony by a sitting Attorney General on the Epstein case.

Context

The Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed unanimously by Congress in November 2025 and signed by President Trump, required the Department of Justice to release all Epstein investigation materials within 60 days. The DOJ complied on January 30, 2026, releasing 3.5 million pages, approximately 2,000 videos, and over 180,000 images through a public online portal at justice.gov/epstein.

The scale and content of the release prompted Congress to schedule hearings with DOJ leadership to address questions about the investigation, the release process, and the ongoing law enforcement response.

Key Topics Addressed

Scale and Scope of the Release

Attorney General Bondi provided testimony on the logistical and legal dimensions of the release. According to reporting by NBC News and the Associated Press, she testified that:

  • The release encompassed materials from multiple DOJ components, including the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), the FBI, and the DOJ's Office of Professional Responsibility
  • Processing and redacting the materials required significant departmental resources
  • The DOJ employed teams of attorneys to review documents for legally required redactions, including victim identity protections and classified information
  • The release represented the most comprehensive disclosure of sex trafficking investigation materials in DOJ history

Ongoing Investigations

A central topic of the testimony was the state of ongoing investigations related to the Epstein case. According to CNN and the New York Times, Bondi testified that:

  • The DOJ has active, ongoing investigations connected to individuals and entities identified in the Epstein files
  • She could not provide specifics about targets or timelines due to the risk of compromising investigations
  • The investigations involve coordination with international law enforcement agencies, including in the United Kingdom and France
  • Additional resources had been assigned to Epstein-related investigations following the Transparency Act release

The 'Politically Exposed Persons' List

One of the hearing's most discussed moments involved the disclosure of a "politically exposed persons" list. According to reporting by CNN and the Associated Press:

  • Bondi confirmed the DOJ had compiled a list of individuals in the files who hold or held political positions
  • The list was transmitted to relevant congressional committees in a classified setting on February 14, 2026
  • She declined to publicly identify individuals on the list
  • Bipartisan pressure from committee members to disclose the list publicly was met with Bondi citing investigative and legal constraints

Redaction Decisions

Congress questioned the DOJ's approach to redacting the released materials. According to the Associated Press:

  • Bondi defended the redactions as necessary to protect victims, ongoing investigations, and national security information
  • She acknowledged that six names had been inadvertently over-redacted and committed to correcting these errors in a supplemental release
  • Several members questioned whether the redactions were too extensive and called for further transparency
  • The DOJ's legal basis for each category of redaction was discussed in detail

The 2007 Non-Prosecution Agreement

The hearing also revisited the controversial 2007 Non-Prosecution Agreement between the DOJ and Epstein. According to CNN and the New York Times:

  • Bondi described the NPA as a "profound failure" of the justice system
  • She testified that the blanket immunity granted to unnamed co-conspirators under the NPA continued to present legal challenges for current investigators
  • She stated the current DOJ was committed to pursuing accountability where the 2007 agreement had created obstacles
  • She did not commit to a specific timeline for additional prosecutions

Bipartisan Nature

The hearing was notable for its bipartisan character. According to media reporting, members of both parties pressed Bondi with aggressive questioning, reflecting the broad public interest in Epstein accountability. The Transparency Act itself had passed Congress unanimously, and the hearing maintained that bipartisan tone.

Significance

The Bondi testimony established several important facts about the state of the Epstein investigation as of February 2026:

  1. Active DOJ investigations continue and span multiple jurisdictions
  2. A "politically exposed persons" list exists and has been shared with Congress
  3. International law enforcement cooperation is underway
  4. The 2007 NPA remains a significant legal obstacle
  5. The release process is ongoing, with corrections to over-redactions planned

The hearing represented a significant moment of public accountability for the DOJ's handling of the Epstein case across multiple administrations.

Sources and Further Reading