GOP rep says he doesn’t trust Trump DOJ

Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) signaled Tuesday that he doesn’t believe the findings from the Justice Department’s (DOJ) probe of files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein — including the lack of a client list and the cause of his 2019 death.
“I’m over it. It disgusts me,” Burchett told CNN’s Manu Raju. “I’m big on clarity and transparency, and that’s a good reason people don’t trust government, either party.”
When asked whether he deems DOJ trustworthy, the Tennessee Republican responded, “I don’t know.”
He quickly added, “No, I don’t. I think I don’t. I don’t trust them.”
Burchett previously suggested the Biden administration may have destroyed Epstein’s client list.
The DOJ and FBI issued a joint memo last week concluding Epstein’s death was a suicide and that such a client list did not exist. The findings seemingly contradicted remarks from Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier this year, when she said a client list was “on my desk” for review.
Bondi also handed several binders of case files titled “The Epstein Files: Phase 1” to conservative influencers at an event earlier this year and vowed to be transparent with the investigation into Epstein.
President Trump and the administration have doubled down on the findings despite mounting criticism over the DOJ’s handling of the case and as many call for the full release of the files. The White House explained that Bondi’s previous comments were referring to the files as a whole, not specifically a client list.
Still, some critics have urged the attorney general to resign in the wake of the conflicting statements. Bondi, on Tuesday, brushed off the suggestion.
Controversy around the files has also caused a divide among Trump’s base.
While some conservatives have called for a special counsel investigation, others — including the president — say the party should agree to move on.
“America deserves the truth about Jeffrey Epstein and the rich powerful elites in his circle,” Trump ally Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) wrote Monday on the social platform X. “The line is drawn with anyone who abuses children and vulnerable innocent people.”
“When George Santos is going to prison for 7 years, but Epstein only served 13 months, our justice system is CORRUPT!!!”