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Former AG Barr Recounts Informing Trump of Epstein's Death

2025-12-20

The BareStory

Former Attorney General Bill Barr, in a podcast interview released Friday, described the moment he informed then-President Donald Trump of Jeffrey Epstein's death in federal custody in 2019. Barr stated he was at home when his chief of staff called to inform him that Epstein had apparently committed suicide, after which Barr called the president to deliver the news.

According to Barr, President Trump reacted with disbelief and outrage, asking how such an event could have happened. Barr said that immediately following the incident, he instructed the FBI and the inspector general to investigate Epstein’s death. The Bureau of Prisons also conducted an internal investigation, Barr added.

In the interview, Barr also claimed that if investigators had discovered any information connecting Trump to wrongdoing in the Epstein case, he would have been aware of it.

Barr's remarks were released on the same day the Department of Justice began a release of a limited set of documents related to the Epstein investigation. While Epstein's death was officially ruled a suicide, some critics have disputed that conclusion. In a joint memo from the FBI and the Department of Justice released in July, authorities affirmed the cause of death was suicide and stated that no "client list" was found in the case files.

Left Perspective

  • President Trump was reportedly outraged by the incident.
  • Multiple official investigations were launched into the death.
  • Authorities have affirmed the cause of death was suicide.

Right Perspective

  • The official suicide ruling has been disputed.
  • Authorities addressed the lack of a "client list" in case files.
  • The death occurred under the supervision of federal authorities.

How it may affect me

As a U.S. reader:

• The Department of Justice's document release may provide the public with limited new information, potentially clarifying aspects of the Epstein investigation.

• Discrepancies between official findings and public skepticism could continue to influence public trust in federal institutions like the DOJ and Bureau of Prisons.

• The account of the Trump administration's reaction may be used in political discussions, potentially shaping public perception of the officials involved in the case.

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