Part of: Epstein files floor speech and Oversight briefing (Sept. Nov. 2025) · The Epstein Files Fight · Epstein & the Files Vote · January 6 & the Trump Relationship
Mace after Bondi's firing: "She has stonewalled every effort to hold the guilty accountable"
On April 2, 2026, the day President Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi, Mace issued a statement accusing Bondi of handling the Epstein files in a "terrible manner" and stonewalling the committee's accountability efforts.

On April 2, 2026, President Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi. Mace issued a statement the same day:
"Bondi handled the Epstein Files in a terrible manner and seriously undermined President Trump. She has stonewalled every effort to hold the guilty accountable."
The statement came after months of direct conflict between Mace and Bondi over the Justice Department's release of Epstein-related records, including Mace's successful motion to subpoena Bondi before the House Oversight Committee in March 2026. Mace had previously called Bondi's handling of the files a "shame" and accused the DOJ of withholding terabytes of data from congressional review.
Source: mace.house.gov · CNBC · X / @RepNancyMace
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