Vice President JD Vance acknowledged Wednesday that the Trump administration mishandled its public communications surrounding the release of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
He also made claims about Epstein's possible intelligence connections that he said were based on suspicion rather than publicly available evidence.
During an appearance on "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast, Vance said the administration's handling of the Epstein files created unrealistic public expectations and damaged confidence in its transparency.
"I say this with all candor, like we absolutely screwed up the comms of the Epstein files," Vance said. "But do I think the reason we screwed up the comms is because we were trying to hide something? No."
The vice president said the administration should have released the available records more quickly after conducting necessary reviews to protect victims' identities.
"I think that we should have just dropped everything at the very beginning," Vance said. "Obviously, it takes a little time to review the stuff ... to redact things where you have victims and so forth, but we should have just done it as quickly as possible."
Vance suggested then-Attorney General Pam Bondi inadvertently heightened expectations by implying that significant new information was imminent.
"I know Pam. I like Pam. I don't think there was anything malicious going on," Vance said.
"I think Pam was trying to respond to the political moment. I think she overstated what we had and what we didn't have."
Bondi had previously told Fox News that Epstein-related files were "sitting on my desk right now" for review and later participated in a White House event where conservative commentators received binders labeled "The Epstein Files: Phase 1."
Critics noted that many of the documents released at the time had already been made public in prior court proceedings.
During the nearly three-hour interview, Vance also commented on long-standing speculation regarding Epstein's possible intelligence ties.
The vice president said Epstein "clearly" had connections to "the highest levels" of American and Israeli intelligence communities, mentioning the CIA and Israel's Mossad intelligence service.
However, Vance did not provide evidence to support that assertion.
To date, U.S. authorities and several investigations have found no evidence Jeffrey Epstein worked for or was directed by the CIA, Mossad, or any other intelligence agency.
Numerous theories about possible intelligence links have circulated for years, fueled by Epstein's extensive network of wealthy and influential associates, but no official investigation has substantiated those claims.
Epstein, a financier who associated with politicians, business leaders, royalty, and celebrities, was arrested in July 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges involving underage girls.
He pleaded not guilty before dying by suicide in a Manhattan federal jail the following month while awaiting trial. His death ended the criminal case against him.
Vance also criticized what he described as efforts by "certain elements" within the Israeli government to influence U.S. policy toward Iran.
Referring to a recent Time magazine report about political consulting related to the Iran war, Vance alleged there had been a "well-funded campaign" aimed at derailing negotiations with Tehran.
"My response to that is, well, 'Go to hell,'" Vance said.
There is no evidence Israel sought to derail negotiations using social media. Time quoted an anonymous national security figure suggesting a tie between social media posts and Israeli efforts to combat misinformation online.