Trump has tried to tamp down criticism of the decision by Attorney General Pam Bondi to keep documents related to Epstein from the public.

The president said he personally told the Fox Corp mogul the story was a ”scam” and warned him not to print it. “But he did, and now I’m going to sue his ass off,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The president said a Wall Street Journal report alleging that a racy letter sent to Epstein on his 50th Birthday in 2003 bore his name and signature was “FAKE NEWS.”

Calls for transparency on Epstein came from several Republicans on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. And Trump's own former vice president, Mike Pence, called for the administration to "release all of the files" regarding the Epstein investigation.

Trump previously had a relationship with the late disgraced financier, who died in a jail cell in 2019 as he awaited a trial on sex trafficking charges.

A year ago, we scrubbed the public record. Here are our updated findings. “It’s all been a hoax that’s perpetrated by the Democrats. And some stupid Republicans and foolish Republicans fall into the net.”

Leavitt had to navigate a tough room of reporters demanding answers on Thursday about the Trump administration’s handling of Epstein’s case. When asked what part of the Epstein situation was a “hoax,” Leavitt blamed Democrats and the media for the outcry over the documents.

How did the case start in Palm Beach County? Did Trump know him then? Why is it an endless source of fascination?