The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that US Attorney General Pam Bondi and her deputy informed President Donald Trump in May that his name appears among those listed in the files related to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Citing senior administration officials, the report noted that Trump was also told other high-profile individuals were named in the documents. According to the Journal, the Justice Department does not intend to release additional records from the Epstein investigation.

Shortly after publication, the White House dismissed The Wall Street Journal report as “fake news.” In a statement sent via email, White House spokesperson Steven Cheung said, “This is nothing more than a continuation of the fake news stories concocted by the Democrats and the liberal media.”

The controversy comes amid heightened public scrutiny over the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein case, particularly the sealed files containing names of individuals allegedly tied to Epstein’s network. 

Trump, who had previously acknowledged knowing Epstein but denied any involvement in his crimes, has faced renewed media attention following revelations about the case.

FBI warned about Trump ties to Epstein

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Maria Farmer, one of the earliest and most prominent accusers of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, told The New York Times that she repeatedly urged the FBI to investigate not just Epstein, but also powerful individuals in his inner circle, including Donald Trump.

In an interview published this week, Farmer said she specifically named Trump to FBI agents during interviews in both 1996 and 2006, raising concerns about a disturbing encounter she experienced in Epstein’s Manhattan office in 1995. Despite her early warnings, she says she has “long wondered” whether the FBI ever seriously pursued the lead.

Farmer recalled the incident in vivid detail. At the time, she was working for Epstein at his Upper East Side townhouse, helping him acquire art and manage the front desk. One evening, she said, she was unexpectedly summoned to Epstein’s office while wearing running shorts. Moments later, Trump arrived, dressed in a suit.

Farmer described feeling uncomfortable as Trump “hovered over her, staring at her bare legs.” She said Epstein entered the room and told Trump, “No, no. She’s not here for you.” As the two men left, she claimed she overheard Trump comment that he thought she was 16 years old.

Renewed scrutiny amid sealed files, public pressure

Farmer’s remarks come as public pressure mounts over unreleased Epstein-related documents, which are believed to contain names, testimonies, tips, and evidence never brought to light or used in court. The revelation that she raised concerns about Trump decades ago has reignited debate about how the case was handled and whether certain individuals received preferential treatment.

Trump has never been charged with any crime in connection with Epstein, nor has he been the subject of a formal investigation tied to the case.

The Trump campaign pushed back forcefully against Farmer’s account. Communications director Steven Cheung told The Times, “The president was never in his office,” referring to Epstein’s Manhattan residence. “The fact is that the president kicked him out of his club for being a creep.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the story outright, saying, “Dumb NYTimes reporters are desperately recycling news stories to try to link President Trump to Jeffrey Epstein. It’s not news that Epstein was a member of the Mar-a-Lago club, because it’s the same club Donald Trump kicked Epstein out of for being a creep. These stories are tired and pathetic attempts to distract from all the success of President Trump’s administration.”