Congressional Democrats are demanding an independent special counsel investigate President Donald Trump’s alleged ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, accusing the Justice Department of protecting the president instead of pursuing accountability for Epstein’s victims.
The demand came Monday in a new report from Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee, which raises serious questions about Trump’s relationship with Epstein and the government’s handling of evidence related to the disgraced financier’s sex-trafficking network.
According to the report, 11 women have connected Trump to Epstein’s alleged sexual abuse and exploitation. Democrats say five of those women have directly accused Trump of rape or sexual assault in Epstein’s company or in his physical presence.
Trump has denied wrongdoing and the White House strongly rejected the report’s claims. But Democrats say the allegations and unanswered questions warrant an investigation independent of the Trump administration.
The report takes direct aim at Attorney General Todd Blanche and his predecessor, Pam Bondi, accusing both of failing to pursue justice for Epstein’s survivors and suggesting the Justice Department has become more concerned with protecting Trump than uncovering the truth.
“Instead of pursuing justice for Epstein’s survivors, former Attorney General Pam Bondi and Attorney General Blanche have been running DOJ like a private legal defense firm for their former client,” the report states.
It goes on to accuse the department of leading a cover-up of Epstein’s sex-trafficking operation, declaring that Blanche has gone from being Trump’s personal attorney to his “personal Attorney General.”
Democrats argue that a special counsel is necessary to investigate Trump’s alleged connections to Epstein, examine the actions of Epstein’s alleged co-conspirators and determine whether criminal charges are warranted.
The call raises a central question: Can the Justice Department fairly investigate allegations involving a president when the department’s leadership serves under that same president?
## Raskin Says Evidence Tells a Different Story
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said Trump’s efforts to downplay his relationship with Epstein do not adequately address the allegations outlined in the report.
“Donald Trump says he knew Jeffrey Epstein ‘just like everybody in Palm Beach knew him.’ Not exactly,” Raskin said in a statement.
“Evidence involving 11 women tells a completely different and far more damning story about their relationship and the abuse of young women and girls that took place in their network,” he added.
Trump has repeatedly sought to distance himself from Epstein, saying he was not particularly friendly with him. He has also said he never visited Epstein’s private island or flew on Epstein’s plane, and claimed he once turned down an invitation to visit the island.
The report also revisits questions surrounding the Epstein files and how much information federal authorities have disclosed. Democrats previously pressed officials about the frequency with which Trump’s name appears in the records, particularly after FBI Director Kash Patel reportedly asserted that it appeared fewer than 1,000 times.
The appearance of a person’s name in investigative files does not, by itself, establish criminal conduct. Democrats, however, say the records and the allegations they cite deserve independent scrutiny.
## White House Rejects the Allegations
The White House dismissed the report and denied its allegations.
Lauren Bis, a White House spokesperson, told *The Hill* that “none of these allegations” were true.
“This ‘report’ is nothing more than a desperate attempt by crazed Democrats to distract Americans from the surging Republican momentum driven by President Trump’s historic achievements,” Bis said.
She also repeated the administration’s claim that Trump had expelled Epstein from his Mar-a-Lago club because he was a “creep,” adding that Trump had been “fully exonerated of anything related to Epstein.”
That is the White House’s position. The report, meanwhile, reflects the conclusions and allegations advanced by House Judiciary Democrats, not a judicial finding that Trump committed a crime.
## Questions Over the Epstein Investigation Remain
Bondi appeared before the House Judiciary Committee in February to testify about the Epstein files. During that hearing, she argued that “there is no evidence that Donald Trump has committed a crime.”
Democrats are now calling for a special counsel to independently examine the broader set of allegations and determine whether evidence supports criminal proceedings against anyone involved.
The political fight over Epstein has continued to intensify, with lawmakers disputing what the government has disclosed, what remains unanswered and whether federal officials are handling the matter impartially.
For Epstein’s survivors, the central issue is accountability. Democrats argue that an independent investigation is necessary to establish the facts and ensure that no one receives special treatment because of political power.
Whether the call for a special counsel gains traction remains to be seen. For now, the dispute puts renewed pressure on the administration to address questions about Trump’s past association with Epstein and the government’s handling of the case.
