WASHINGTON

FBI Director Kash Patel clashed with Democrats on Wednesday during a tense House Judiciary Committee hearing dominated by questions about the bureau’s handling of files tied to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal accused Patel of a “giant cover-up” after discovering that President Donald Trump’s name appeared “all over these files.”

The Democrat from the state of Washington pressed Patel on whether he met with victims of Epstein’s abuse and slammed the FBI for failing to engage directly with the victims.

“Is the answer yes or no to whether or not you met with these women who were sexually abused and raped?” Jayapal asked, pounding her hand on the desk.

“That’s not at all what I said,” Patel responded, after she claimed he had dismissed victims’ credibility. “Don’t lie about me ... Any insinuation by you or any people on your side that I am not manhunting child predators and sex traffickers, just look at the stats.”

The director insisted the bureau had released all “credible” information it could under court orders. “Any accusations that I’m part of a cover-up to protect child sexual trafficking and victims of human trafficking and sexual crimes is patently and categorically false,” he said.

Rep. Eric Swalwell pressed Patel on whether he had privately informed Attorney General Pam Bondi that Trump’s name surfaced in the documents.

“Did you tell Trump his name is in the Epstein files?” Swalwell asked.

“I’ve never spoken to Trump about the Epstein files,” Patel replied.

“Did you tell the attorney general that Donald Trump’s name is in the Epstein files?” Swalwell pressed again.

“Attorney general and I have had numerous discussions about the entirety of the Epstein files, and the reviews conducted by our team,” Patel answered.

When Swalwell repeated the question, he accused Patel of dodging: “You’ve not answered it. And we’ll take your evasiveness as a consciousness of guilt.”

“To your knowledge, did Attorney General Pam Bondi speak to the -president about what was in the Epstein files?” Jayapal asked, to which Patel responded that he cannot speak for Bondi.

Epstein, a disgraced financier and convicted sex offender, was found dead in his New York City jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial. Authorities ruled the death a suicide, though many Americans, including Trump’s supporters, continue to allege a cover-up to shield Epstein's wealthy and influential inner circle.