Attorney-general dodges questions about alleged incriminating Trump-Epstein photos

Donald Trump's attorney-general has dodged questions astir whether nan FBI recovered photos of nan US president pinch half-naked young women while searching Jeffrey Epstein's home.

Attorney-General Pam Bondi was testifying earlier nan Senate erstwhile she was asked astir nan pictures by Democratic leader Sheldon Whitehouse.

"There's been nationalist reporting that Jeffrey Epstein showed group photos of President Trump pinch half-naked young women," Whitehouse said.

"Do you cognize if nan FBI recovered those photographs successful their hunt of Jeffrey Epstein's safe aliases premises aliases otherwise?

"Have you ever seen specified a thing?"

Bondi replied by tying Whitehouse to Reid Hoffman, a able Democratic philanthropist who had connections to Epstein.

"You know, Senator Whitehouse, you beryllium present and make salacious remarks erstwhile again trying to accusation President Trump near and correct erstwhile you are nan 1 who was taking money from 1 of Epstein's closest confidants, I believe. 

"I could beryllium wrong, correct me, Reid Hoffman, who was pinch Jeffrey Epstein connected aggregate occasions, and nan legislator sitting correct adjacent to you tried to artifact nan formation logs from being released, yet you're grilling maine connected President Trump and immoderate photograph pinch Epstein?

Hoffman has admitted travelling to Epstein's notorious land but has not been accused of immoderate wrongdoing.

In a lengthy question and reply pinch newsman Michael Wolff earlier his death, Epstein reportedly showed photos of Trump pinch topless young women sitting successful his lap.

Wolff claims to person much than 100 hours of recordings of interviews pinch Epstein.

"I was Donald's closest friend for 10 years," Epstein reportedly told Wolff.

While Trump has faced aggregate accusations of intersexual misconduct, including a assemblage ruling he raped a woman, he has not been tied to wrongdoing successful relationship to Epstein.

Bondi has been heavy criticised for changing her tune connected nan Epstein investigation since she took complete nan Department of Justice.

In an question and reply successful February, Bondi said Epstein's purported customer database was "sitting connected my table correct now".

Then, successful July, nan Department of Justice announced nan customer database did not exist.

Epstein died successful a New York situation compartment successful 2019 aft he was arrested and charged pinch kid activity trafficking.

The able financier and high-flyer faced myriad accusations of activity maltreatment against underage girls.

Yesterday, Trump said he would see granting a pardon aliases clemency to Epstein's partner and accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell.

"You know, I haven't heard nan sanction successful truthful long. I tin opportunity this, that I'd person to return a look astatine it. I would person to return a look," he said.

Meanwhile, Speaker of nan House Mike Johnson has continued to garbage to committedness successful recently elected typical Adelita Grijalva.

Grijalva would beryllium nan important ballot successful forcing nan merchandise of nan government's files connected Epstein.

Other representatives elected successful typical elections this twelvemonth person been sworn successful nan adjacent day.

But Grijalva has waited 2 weeks without being sworn in, contempt her landslide triumph successful Arizona's 7th legislature district.

Johnson denied nan hold was related to nan Epstein files.

"No, it has thing to do pinch that astatine all. We will committedness her successful erstwhile everybody gets back. It's a ceremonial duty," Johnson said.

DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay crossed each nan latest successful breaking news, sport, authorities and nan upwind via our news app and get notifications sent consecutive to your smartphone. Available connected the Apple App Store and Google Play.