'Just release the files as promised': Musk lashes out at Trump administration over Epstein controversy

Tech billionaire Elon Musk sparked a social media firestorm on Saturday by once again openly criticizing President Donald Trump for defending Attorney General Pam Bondi amid the controversy surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein files.

In a series of posts on his X platform, Musk expressed his frustration, demanding the release of documents related to the case, as Trump had promised during his campaign.

The controversy intensified after the Justice Department and FBI released a memo on Monday that ruled out the existence of an alleged Epstein "client list" tied to racketeering and confirmed that his 2019 death was a suicide.

However, Trump’s fan base expressed outrage toward Bondi, who had previously hinted she possessed relevant information about the case. In response, Trump defended Bondi in a lengthy post on Truth Social, urging his followers to support her and dismissing the controversy as a distraction stirred up by his political opponents.

Musk replies

Musk, however, didn’t hold back. Responding to a user on X who criticized Trump’s statement, the entrepreneur wrote, "Seriously. He said “Epstein” half a dozen times while telling everyone to stop talking about Epstein. Just release the files as promised."

Minutes later, in another post, Musk called the Epstein case Trump’s "Achilles heel," questioning why the files haven’t been released. “What the hell kind of system are we living in if thousands of kids were abused, the government has videos of the abusers and yet none of the abusers are even facing charges!?” he wrote.

Musk’s criticism centers on Trump’s promise to release the Epstein files, a topic that has fueled speculation and conspiracy theories for years.

Trump, for his part, suggested that the controversy is an attempt by his detractors—including figures like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, to destabilize his administration.

“They created the Epstein files, just like they created the fake Hillary Clinton dossier,” the president said, referring to past investigations such as the 2016 Russia case.

While Musk pushes for the release of the documents, Trump’s downplaying of the issue and defense of Bondi have divided his supporters.