‘Resign or be impeached’: AOC slams Pam Bondi over Epstein files, calls response ‘abuse of power’

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized Pam Bondi’s remarks on predators and said the case reaches top levels, urging accountability
PUBLISHED FEB 16, 2026
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said the files 'unveiled' powerful figures’ ties after conviction, citing Howard Lutnick’s visit to Epstein’s Island (Screengrab/TUBerlinTV/YouTube)
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said the files 'unveiled' powerful figures’ ties after conviction, citing Howard Lutnick’s visit to Epstein’s Island (Screengrab/TUBerlinTV/YouTube)


BERLIN, GERMANY: Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez launched a scathing attack on Attorney General Pam Bondi, telling her to "resign or be impeached" for failing to hold those named in the Epstein files accountable.

AOC used the world stage to demand justice, arguing that the refusal to further pursue those linked to the high-profile case constitutes an "abuse of power."

AOC demands Pam Bondi's removal over lack of accountability

Speaking at a university in Berlin on Sunday, February 15, Ocasio-Cortez directed her sharpest remarks at Attorney General Pam Bondi’s recent testimony before Congress.

AOC criticized Bondi’s attitude toward calls for deeper investigations, describing the Attorney General’s response as "so inappropriate."

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 11: U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on February 11, 2026 in Washington, DC. Bondi is expected to face questions on her department’s handling of the files related to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, President Trump’s investigations into political foes and the handing of the two fatal ICE shootings of U.S. citizens. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on February 11, 2026 in Washington, DC (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

“Pam Bonti stood there in front of the Congress of the United States and had the audacity to say in response to what are we doing about child, these child predators to say well the Dow Jones is above 50,000 or whatever it is that she said,” Ocasio-Cortez stated.

She argued that the sense of implication in the case reaches the highest levels of power, adding, "When Pam Bondi says there's no more work here to be done, really, you are the attorney general of the United States of America and you don't want to hold any one of these people accountable. Resign or be impeached."

AOC says Epstein files expose elite abuse

Beyond the specific actions of the Justice Department, AOC spoke at length about how the files have "unveiled" a network of powerful figures who remained connected to the central figure of the scandal even after his initial conviction.

She cited the involvement of high-ranking business leaders, noting that "Howard Lutnick knowingly brought his family to Epstein's Island after he was convicted."

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) listens during a mark up meeting with the House Committee on Energy and Commerce committee on Capitol Hill on May 13, 2025 in Washington, DC. The committee met to discuss legislative recommendations for budget reconciliation. The committee room was surrounded by protesters fearing cuts or increased costs to medicaid. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) listens during a mark up meeting with the House Committee on Energy and Commerce committee on Capitol Hill on May 13, 2025 in Washington, DC (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

According to Ocasio-Cortez, the case serves as a "canary in the coal mine" for broader societal issues, linking the concentration of wealth and political power to the perception that the elite can get away with anything.

"This has to go all the way to the top. It does go all the way to the top," she said, emphasizing that these actions are "about power" and "about abuse of power" and "the ability to feel that you can subjugate another human being and violate their agency."

AOC sees bipartisan push for accountability

She observed that the response is "breaking the cultish grip" often seen in partisan politics, with everyday citizens across the political spectrum demanding answers.

"One avenue of hope that I have around this is that um despite all of the shocking things that have happened and transpired in the past, uh for some reason um I think you know for for a lot of reasons this scandal over the Epstein files is kind of breaking the cultish grip that the right has had over some in its base," she explained.

"This actually is not a partisan the response to this has not necessarily been partisan. Uh and that I think is where we have a lot of hope."

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