Former President Donald Trump privately warned that releasing the full contents of the Jeffrey Epstein case files could “destroy” innocent individuals due to lack of context, according to conservative commentator Bill O’Reilly. In an interview with NewsNation, O’Reilly recounted a March conversation with Trump in which the president expressed concern that names in the documents could be unfairly tarnished—even if they had no involvement in criminal acts.

“He said, and I agree, there are a lot of names associated with Epstein that had nothing to do with Epstein’s conduct,” O’Reilly said. “If that name gets out, those people are destroyed because there’s not going to be any context.”

MAGA Base Frustrated by Secrecy

Trump had previously hinted that his administration would declassify Epstein-related documents. But the Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced that no further disclosures would be made, stating Epstein had no maintained “client list” and reiterating that he died by suicide. The DOJ concluded its review with a brief memo—sparking outrage among Trump’s base and renewed speculation about a political cover-up.

Billionaire Elon Musk, who recently broke with Trump to launch his own “America Party,” accused the former president of failing his promise. “How can people be expected to have faith in Trump if he won’t release the Epstein files?” Musk posted on X.

Bondi Faces Questions, Clarifies Comments

Attorney General Pam Bondi also came under fire for a past interview in which she appeared to suggest that the Epstein “client list” was on her desk. She later clarified that she was referring to a broader file, not a verified list of clients. Bondi has released some documents but resisted pressure to provide further material that could implicate powerful individuals.

Speaking during a Cabinet meeting, Bondi said the files included “tens of thousands of videos,” many classified as child pornography and therefore barred from public release. “They’re never going to be released, never going to see the light of day,” she said.

O’Reilly Suggests Public Briefing

O’Reilly urged Trump to have Bondi hold a public briefing. “You can redact names,” he said. “But Americans should be told exactly what the government knows. That’s what honest government does.”