Bondi distances herself from 'botched' release of Epstein files | First Thing

The former attorney general Pam Bondi, center, arrives for her deposition on Capitol Hill. Photograph: Rod Lamkey/AP View image in fullscreen The former attorney general Pam Bondi, center, arrives for her deposition on Capitol Hill. Photograph: Rod Lamkey/AP First Thing: Bondi distances herself from ‘botched’ release of Epstein files Former attorney general says expected replacement, Todd Blanche, was in charge of controversial process. Plus: why are US consumers so angry? Good morning. Appearing before the House oversight and reform committee, the former attorney general Pam Bondi told lawmakers that Todd Blanche, the man Donald Trump has lined up to replace her, was “in charge” of the US Department of Justice’s controversial handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. She also said she was “not certain of the extent” that Trump knew about the crimes of Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell before they became public. In her opening statement, Bondi defended the justice department’s handling of the records under her leadership and tried to distance herself from the release and review of the files, saying she did not “lead every aspect” of the DoJ’s effort, but that it was Blanche who oversaw it. If formally nominated by Trump to be attorney general on a permanent basis, Blanche would require confirmation from the US Senate. Why is the release of the files under scrutiny? Several lawmakers as well as survivors of Epstein’s abuse, have criticized some of the department’s actions and raised concerns over certain redactions and the disclosure of sensitive personal information in the files. Bondi acknowledged “there were redaction errors” in the release, but added: “Since day one of this process, this department has been committed to accountability and transparency.” House passes bill to aid Ukraine as Zelenskyy calls for talks with Putin View image in fullscreen In a open letter to Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, pictured called for face-to-face talks. Photograph: Ukrinform/Shutterstock The House passed legislation Thursday that would aid Ukraine and impose sanctions on key segments of the Russian economy, overriding objections from Republican leaders who said the bill would undermine negotiations designed to achieve a comparable but stronger result. The legislation, which was sponsored by the Democratic representative Gregory Meeks, seeks to cement US assistance for Ukraine by providing more than $1bn in security and reconstruction aid. It would make another $8bn available for Ukraine’s defense through loans. What are the latest developments in Ukraine? In his first public letter to Vladimir Putin since the 2022 invasion, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has called for face-to-face negotiations. Acknowledging shifting US priorities while Washington remained focused on the Iran war, the Ukrainian president said it would be wrong to simply wait for the Trump administration to step in. The proposal comes as Ukraine regains some battlefield leverage through improved long-range strike capabilities, even as Moscow intensifies its deadly aerial campaign across the country. Trump claims Bill Pulte will investigate ‘rigged elections’ in temporary intelligence role View image in fullscreen Bill Pulte, a Trump loyalist, does not have national intelligence experience. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images Donald Trump has suggested his controversial ally Bill Pulte will investigate “rigged elections” while serving as the country’s top intelligence official, as the US president continues to make unfounded allegations about voting. Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, is a staunch Trump loyalist and does not have national intelligence experience. His appointment as head of national intelligence followed the exit of Tulsi Gabbard. Trump earlier alleged without evidence that Democrats were cheating in California’s primaries. He also claimed the US attorney’s office in Los Angeles was investigating. The US attorney’s office said it had no comment. What is happening in California’s election? The California governor’s race remained unsettled as state election officials continued to sift through uncounted primary ballots. Polls indicated that the British-born conservative pundit Steve Hilton was narrowly leading the race, followed by the former US health and human services secretary Xavier Becerra. The billionaire Tom Steyer trailed behind the pair. In other news … View image in fullscreen Lawmakers heard on Tuesday that the Trump administration was not moving forward with the $1.8bn ‘anti-weaponization’ fund. Photograph: Samuel Corum/CNP/Shutterstock Senate Republicans on Thursday scuttled an attempt by Democrats to stop Trump from creating a $1.8bn fund to pay his allies. Todd Blanche, the acting US attorney general, told lawmakers on Tuesday that the administration would not move forward with the fund. The US Department of Justice’s civil rights division has launched investigations into 15 medical schools after allegations of potential race discrimination in their admissions processes. The Trump administration has accused universities of using essays and other application materials as indirect ways to factor race into admissions decisions. Argentina has reacted with fury after the bodies of two murdered teenage girls were found just two days apart. The latest killings underscore the South American country’s femicide crisis and have prompted alarm over the decision to cut support for victims of gender-based violence under the far-right administration of Javier Milei. Stat of the day: 80% of Americans had a service or product problem in 2025 – why are US consumers so angry? View image in fullscreen The ‘annoyance economy’ or ‘what we pay in time, fees and irritation to navigate our daily lives’ costs US households billions, a thinktank says. Photograph: Brandon Bell/Getty Images US households are losing $165bn a year on the “annoyance economy” or “what we pay in time, fees and irritation to navigate our daily lives”, the Groundwork Collaborative, a thinktank that focuses on concentrations of private power, estimated in February. Heather Timmons looks at why US consumers are so angry. We’d like to hear about your frustrations with companies, from difficulties getting a refund to bad customer service. Get in touch here. Culture pick: Affection review – memory loss thriller that keeps you guessing View image in fullscreen Julianna Layne plays Alice in Affection, BT Meza’s directorial debut. Photograph: Publicity image When Ellie (Jessica Rothe) wakes up in bed in a house she does not recognise, next to a man she does not know, she naturally assumes the worst. She is even more disconcerted when a little girl calling her mommy appears. In Catherine Bray’s review she says the debut feature director BT Meza’s creepy thriller keeps you guessing. It certainly sounds a lot better than what Benjamin Lee called “Amazon’s head-scratching $200m-budgeted misfire” attempting to resurrect the concept of He-Man. Don’t miss this: A college professor admitted using AI to write an opinion piece. Here’s what it revealed about trust in the technology View image in fullscreen Cath Ellis’s Sydney Morning Herald article was taken down. Photograph: d3sign/Getty Images From the “Well, this is awkward” files: the Sydney Morning Herald took down a piece by Cath Ellis, a pro vice-chancellor of Western Sydney University, after it emerged the article, arguing against students cutting corners by using AI to do university work, had been produced with the assistance of … you’ve guessed it, AI. Technology reporter Josh Taylor analyses the response. … or this: ‘I knew it was over for us’: the bands who got left behind when punk exploded View image in fullscreen The Sex Pistols played their first Manchester gig on 4 June 1976. Composite: Guardian Design; Anwar Hussein; George Wilkes/Hulton Archive; Graham Wood; Gary Null/NBCU Photo Bank; Angelo Deligio/Mondadori; Estate Of Keith Morris/Redferns; Michael Putland/Getty Images Alexis Petridis looks back at what the music scene in the UK was really like 50 years ago this week, at the moment the Sex Pistols played their first Manchester gig and punk upended pop culture for good. Climate check: Wildfire smoke has reversed US progress toward ozone air quality, study finds View image in fullscreen The impact of North American wildfires on air quality is said to be greater than previously known. Photograph: Caroline Brehman/AP The wildfires that have battered the US and the rest of North America in recent years have significantly increased emissions and been linked to tens of thousands of premature deaths, but their impact on air quality is greater than previously known, according to research. Last Thing: Mule deer already using incomplete wildlife bridge in California View image in fullscreen Mule deer have already crossed a not-quite-finished $20m wildlife bridge in Siskiyou county, California. Photograph: Allen J Schaben/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images A trio of mule deer has already scuttled across a not-quite-finished $20m wildlife bridge over Route 97 in Siskiyou county, marking an early triumph for the California department of transportation. As the state’s first wildlife crossing over a major highway, the project promises to drastically reduce animal mortality rates for migrating species and improve safety for human drivers. If you have any questions or comments about any of our newsletters please email newsletters@theguardian.com Explore more on these topics US news First Thing newsletter news Share Reuse this content