One of Jeffrey Epstein’s survivors issued a statement on Thursday, April 2, just a few hours after President Donald Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi, whose handling of long-delayed Epstein case files drew sharp criticism from victims and lawmakers.
Annie Farmer, who testified against Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell in her 2021 sex trafficking trial, released a statement that was shared on X by journalist Scott MacFarlane.
The statement read: “This is not about a single person; it is about a government and judicial system that has repeatedly failed Epstein survivors.
“Regardless of who holds power, survivors deserve accountability, transparency, protection from retaliation, and assurance that those who enabled Epstein, Maxwell, and others will be investigated and, if appropriate, prosecuted.”
Trump announced Bondi’s dismissal on Thursday. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche will serve as acting attorney general for now.
Sources close to the White House said Trump grew frustrated with Bondi’s leadership at the Justice Department, including her oversight of documents related to Epstein.
Also Read: Trump Appoints His Former Personal Lawyer After Firing Pam Bondi as AG
In late 2025, Congress enacted the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which mandated that the Justice Department release documents pertaining to its inquiries into Epstein and Maxwell.
However, the department missed the initial December deadline and released only partial batches of the records, which were heavily redacted.
Around February 2025, Bondi told Fox News that an Epstein “client list” was on her desk, awaiting review. The department later clarified this was not the case and that she was actually referring to paperwork such as flight logs.
Survivors and bipartisan lawmakers on the House Oversight Committee pushed for complete, unredacted files. They argued the releases so far failed to name enablers or properly protect victims.
In one instance, the department posted unredacted images, including nude photos of young women, prompting Farmer and others to call the handling “beyond careless.”
Bondi explained that her department had provided everything required. However, critics on both sides held different views, as millions of pages were yet to be reviewed.
Farmer has spoken publicly for years about her abuse. She was 16 when she says Epstein and Maxwell targeted her in the 1990s.
Also Read: Fresh Video of Epstein’s Final Hours Emerges as American Claims He Was Seen Alive 2 Days Ago
She later testified at Maxwell’s trial and has urged federal authorities to pursue those who helped Epstein’s network operate for decades.
Epstein died by suicide in a Manhattan jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence.
Trump’s decision to remove Bondi comes amid broader tensions within his administration. Sources told reporters he also complained that the Justice Department under Bondi had not pursued enough cases against his political opponents.
On April 1, The New York Times reported: “He has also complained about her shortcomings as a communicator and vented about what he sees as the department’s lack of aggressiveness in going after his foes.”
Trump fires
Bondi is the second Cabinet member Trump has ousted in recent weeks, following the removal of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem last month.
The Epstein case has dogged Trump since his first term. He said he knew Epstein socially in the 1990s and 2000s, but later banned him from Mar-a-Lago after an alleged incident involving a young girl.
Trump has called renewed focus on the files a “Democratic hoax” at times, drawing rebukes from Farmer and other survivors who say the issue transcends party lines.
With Blanche now in charge as acting attorney general, attention turns to whether the Justice Department will speed up remaining file releases or face further congressional subpoenas.
The offenses by Epstein had over 1,000 victims, according to federal estimates. However, many victims have claimed that the slow release of documents and the absence of new prosecutions have made them feel betrayed by the system a second time.
