Trump rallies behind Bondi after Epstein hearing, blasts Massie as 'total fool'

Following her contentious testimony, Trump defended Pam Bondi's handling of the review while accusing political opponents of exploiting the issue
PUBLISHED FEB 12, 2026
President Donald Trump praised Attorney General Pam Bondi's performance before the House Judiciary Committee as lawmakers clashed over redactions, victim disclosures, and DOJ transparency (Getty Images)
President Donald Trump praised Attorney General Pam Bondi's performance before the House Judiciary Committee as lawmakers clashed over redactions, victim disclosures, and DOJ transparency (Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump heaped praise on Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday, February 12, following her contentious appearance before the House Judiciary Committee over the Justice Department’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

“AG Pam Bondi, under intense fire from the Trump Deranged Radical Left Lunatics, was fantastic at yesterday’s Hearing on the never ending saga of Jeffrey Epstein, where the one thing that has been proven conclusively, much to their chagrin, was that President Donald J Trump has been 100% exonerated of their ridiculous Russia, Russia, Russia type charges,” Trump wrote.

U.S. President Donald Trump answers questions during a press conference in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House August 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump announced he will use his authority to place the DC Metropolitan Police Department under federal control to assist in crime prevention in the nation’s capital, and that the National Guard will be deployed to DC. Also pictured are Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (L) and Attorney General Pam Bondi (R). (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump answers questions during a press conference in the James S Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, August 11, 2025, in Washington, DC (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Trump attacks Democrats and singles out Thomas Massie

Trump also targeted Rep Tom Massie (R-Ky), a frequent Trump critic and co-sponsor of the 'Epstein Files Transparency Act', who pressed Bondi aggressively during the hearing.

"Actually, it is the SLIMEBALL Democrats, many of them big Donors and Politicians, that have been proven GUILTY!" he added.



"'Republican' Loser, Sanctimonious RINO Congressman, Thomas Massie, made a total fool of himself yesterday, fighting aimlessly against a hopeless agenda of Hate and Stupidity, as most clearly stated by his crashing Job Approval Numbers in the Great Commonwealth of Kentucky, where a Military Hero Opponent, Ed Gallrein, is crushing him in the Polls,” the president continued. 

Trump further said that nobody cared about Epstein when he was alive.

Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is sworn in to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee during her confirmation hearing for U.S. Attorney General in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on January 15, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Pam Bondi is sworn in to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee during her confirmation hearing for Attorney General in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on January 15, 2025, in Washington, DC (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

“He is now in 'Wacky' Liz Cheney territory! Nobody cared about Epstein when he was alive, they only cared about him when they thought he could create Political Harm to a very popular president who has brought our Country back from the brink of extinction, and very quickly, at that!” Trump added.

“In fact, this attempt by the Democrats to take away attention from tremendous Republican SUCCESS is backfiring badly," he stated.

"Maybe they should focus on their quest to Open our Borders to the World’s Greatest Criminals, have Transgender for Everybody or, get Men, no matter their size or strength, to play in Women’s Sports,” Trump concluded. 

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 11: U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) speaks to reporters following a series of votes at the U.S. Capitol on March 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. The House passed a bill to avert a Friday government shutdown by a 217-213 vote largely along party lines. The bill now moves to the Senate where it will need help from Democrats to move it past a filibuster. Massie was the sole Republican member who opposed the legislation. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Rep Thomas Massie (R-KY) speaks to reporters following a series of votes at the U.S. Capitol on March 11, 2025, in Washington, DC ( Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Thomas Massie accuses DOJ of ‘staggering incompetence and jaded cruelty’

The hearing grew heated when Massie accused the Justice Department of mishandling sensitive material tied to survivors.

Massie revealed that the department published a list of victim names that had been provided by their attorney with an explicit request for confidentiality, calling the move “literally the worst thing you could do to the survivors.”

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)

He alleged that a “mixture of staggering incompetence and jaded cruelty” resulted in the public release of victims’ home addresses, bank details and unredacted photographs of victims.

Bondi acknowledged that harm had been caused and urged any survivor whose information was improperly disclosed to contact the department so corrective steps could be taken immediately.

As tensions escalated, Bondi fired back, calling Massie a “failed politician” and a “hypocrite” suffering from “Trump derangement syndrome.”



She also accused Republicans of failing to push for transparency during the previous administration, a claim Massie rejected, arguing the “cover-up” has spanned decades and multiple presidencies.

“This cover-up spans decades, and you are responsible for this portion of it,” Massie told her.

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