‘Nothing to do with it’: Trump ducks question on appointing special prosecutor to Epstein case; White House press sec doubles down on denial
President Donald Trump on Wednesday sidestepped a direct question about whether he would appoint a special counsel to investigate the Jeffrey Epstein case, saying, “I have nothing to do with it,” according to CNN. The following day, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reinforced Trump’s position, telling reporters that the president does not support appointing a special prosecutor in the matter, despite mounting pressure from some Republican leaders. “The president would not recommend a special prosecutor in the Epstein case. That’s how he feels,” Leavitt said during a White House press briefing on Thursday (local time). She added that she was “not sure” whether Trump had discussed the idea of a special counsel with Attorney General Pam Bondi. The power to appoint a special counsel lies with the attorney general and the department of justice, which generally functions independently of the White House to safeguard against political interference.However, Trump has often disregarded this practice. He has previously called for investigations into his political opponents. In March, during a speech at the department, he proclaimed himself as the “chief law enforcement officer in our country”, a title usually reserved for the attorney general.In contrast, Trump has taken a more cautious public approach regarding the Epstein investigation. He has stated that it is up to Attorney General Bondi to release any credible information related to the case. When asked on Thursday whether Trump would order the release of all Epstein-related files, Leavitt responded that the matter was “out of the president’s control.” She also said she was not aware of whether Trump had been briefed by Bondi on any unreleased details.“Not to my knowledge, and that’s a question for the attorney general,” Leavitt said.Last week, the department of justice released an unsigned memo stating there was no evidence that Epstein maintained a “client list” or that he was murdered. This announcement angered many of Trump’s supporters, particularly after Bondi had previously hinted that such a list existed. She later clarified that she had been referring to other documents related to the investigation.Despite the DOJ’s statement, public skepticism has grown, especially among Trump’s base, with increasing demands for transparency. On Wednesday, Trump dismissed ongoing concerns about the case, describing those focused on the Epstein files as “weaklings” who have fallen for a “hoax.”Some of Trump’s allies have publicly disagreed with the administration’s stance. Trump’s aide Laura Loomer told Politico that a special counsel should be appointed to independently investigate the handling of the Epstein files. She also criticized Bondi for lacking transparency and for not handling the issue effectively.Republican Lauren Boebert also called for a special counsel. In an interview with podcaster Benny Johnson she said, “I think moving forward, we need a special counsel. That has got to happen. There has to be a special investigation into this if we aren’t going to be provided information.”In an interview with John Solomon that aired Wednesday, Trump linked the Epstein case to other investigations that have targeted him. He said the FBI could examine all of them together.“I think they could look at all of it. It’s all the same scam. They could look at this Jeffrey Epstein hoax also, because that’s the same stuff,” Trump said.
