Trump says there is no ‘smoking gun’ in the Jeffrey Epstein files, blames Democrats for controversy | World News

US President Donald Trump on Friday, once again sought to downplay the Jeffrey Epstein controversy that has long captivated his MAGA base, arguing there is no “smoking gun” in the files linked to the disgraced financier.
“If there was a ‘smoking gun’ on Epstein, why didn’t the Dems, who controlled the ‘files’ for four years, and had Garland and Comey in charge, use it? BECAUSE THEY HAD NOTHING!!!” Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.

The post followed Trump’s Thursday night announcement that he had directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue the release of additional Epstein-related materials.
“Produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony”
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Trump said Bondi had been instructed to “produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval”. In response, Bondi confirmed she would pursue court action, potentially as soon as Friday. However, any release of grand jury records would require a legal process, including judicial review and consideration of victims’ privacy.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Trump allegedly sent Epstein a letter for his 50th birthday in 2003 — a claim the President now disputes. The report claimed that Trump contributed a “bawdy” letter — featuring a typewritten personal message alongside a drawing of a naked woman’s silhouette — to an album Ghislaine Maxwell had compiled as a gift for Epstein’s birthday.
In an interview with the Journal, Trump denied writing the letter and has threatened legal action.
“I told Rupert Murdoch it was a Scam, that he shouldn’t print this Fake Story. But he did, and now I’m going to sue his ass off, and that of his third-rate newspaper,” Trump wrote last night.Story continues below this ad
“I look forward to getting Rupert Murdoch to testify in my lawsuit against him and his ‘pile of garbage’ newspaper, the WSJ. That will be an interesting experience!!!” Trump posted online Friday.

DOJ denies Epstein “client l” theories
Trump’s order comes amid pressure from MAGA-aligned voices to “do more” after the Justice Department and FBI issued a memo stating no further disclosures in the Epstein case were “appropriate or warranted.”
The memo concluded there was no evidence Epstein kept a so-called “client l” or that he blackmailed prominent individuals. It also confirmed, again, that Epstein died suicide in prison while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.
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Earlier, Bondi had responded to the DOJ memo, saying it “speaks for itself.”
Trump, meanwhile, has tried to dance himself from the growing intrigue that conspiracy theors and far-right influencers continue to stoke around Epstein’s ties to elites. He has repeatedly called the Epstein files a “Democratic hoax” and dismissed Republican supporters pressing for deeper investigation as “stupid” and “foolish.”
Despite some media speculation, the White House has ruled out appointing a special prosecutor.
“The idea was floated from someone in the media to the president. The president would not recommend a special prosecutor in the Epstein case. That’s how he feels,” said press secretary Karoline Leavitt at Thursday’s briefing.