Vice President JD Vance stated that the Trump administration ‘absolutely screwed up the comms’ around the Jeffrey Epstein files and should have released everything immediately, while insisting the administration was not trying to conceal information.

Epstein Files Controversy

Vance’s comments come as the administration has been dogged by blowback from the president’s own base over its handling of the Epstein files. The vice president pointed to then-Attorney General Pam Bondi’s public comments suggesting a purported client list was on her desk, while he noted that the binders of information handed out to conservative social media influencers in February 2025 were ‘largely documents that were already released.’ Vance argued that the ‘original sin’ of the Epstein investigation dated back to 2007 and 2008, arguing it was ‘way too narrow’ and faulting former US Attorney Alex Acosta, who negotiated a controversial plea deal with Epstein.

Vance also defended President Donald Trump’s role in releasing the Epstein files, rejecting claims that the president was pressured into doing so. Trump ‘could have killed’ the congressional effort to compel the Justice Department to release the files if he had wanted to, Vance argued.

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.