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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Wednesday he would support public congressional hearings featuring victims of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as lawmakers consider next steps in ongoing scrutiny of the case.
“Of course,” Blanche said when asked whether he would back such hearings, according to remarks reported from the Semafor World Economy summit.
“We have said repeatedly from day one that if there’s any victim that wants to come forward and talk about what they know, whether it’s something that happened by Mr. Epstein, who’s dead, or another individual or individuals, that’s what the FBI does,” he added.
The comments come less than a week after James Comer, chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said lawmakers plan to hold public hearings with Epstein’s victims following ongoing depositions.
The issue has remained a source of political tension during President Trump’s second term, with both Democrats and Republicans raising concerns about how the Justice Department has handled records tied to Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
Lawmakers and survivors have accused the department of failing to fully comply with transparency requirements, including allegations of missed deadlines, redactions and concerns about the handling of victim identities.
Blanche has defended the department’s actions while also acknowledging public frustration.
“There’s a lot of people in this country that correctly feel that we did not get closure with Jeffrey Epstein. I couldn’t agree with that more,” he said.
First lady Melania Trump recently called on Congress to provide a forum for victims to share their experiences, suggesting testimony could be entered into the congressional record. She also denied any connection to Epstein or Maxwell, calling reports suggesting otherwise “lies.”
Some survivors, however, have expressed opposition to the idea of additional public testimony, arguing that it places undue pressure on victims.
“Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein have already shown extraordinary courage by coming forward, filing reports, and giving public testimony,” a group said in a joint statement posted to X. “Asking more of them now is a deflection of responsibility, not justice.”
