Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi declined to answer questions about former President Donald Trump during a closed-door House Oversight Committee interview [1].
The testimony is significant because the committee is investigating how the administration handled the Jeffrey Epstein files and whether Trump was involved in those processes [1, 4].
Bondi appeared before the committee on Friday, Feb. 11, 2026 [2, 5]. The session lasted five hours [5]. During the proceedings, Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, questioned Bondi on the Justice Department's management of the files [1, 2].
"She repeatedly declined to answer any questions about President Trump," Garcia said [2].
Reports on Bondi's conduct during the session vary slightly. Some accounts state she refused to answer questions about Trump [1], while others suggest she deflected the inquiries rather than issuing an outright refusal [5].
Democratic members of the committee criticized the lack of transparency. "Bondi’s refusal is a clear attempt to shield the former president from accountability," an unnamed Democratic committee member said [1].
The committee chair indicated that the investigation into the Epstein files will continue despite the friction during the testimony. "We will continue to pursue answers on the Epstein files, regardless of attempts to deflect," the chair said [3].
The closed-door session in Washington, D.C., focused on the intersection of the Justice Department's internal files and the former president's potential influence [1, 3].
“"She repeatedly declined to answer any questions about President Trump," Rep. Robert Garcia said.”
This testimony highlights the ongoing political tension surrounding the transparency of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. By declining to answer questions regarding Donald Trump, Bondi has provided the House Oversight Committee with a focal point for further subpoenas or public hearings, as the committee seeks to determine if political influence impacted the release or handling of sensitive Justice Department files.
