An Ohio Republican who often sides with the Trump administration has joined a growing list of lawmakers criticizing U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Rep. Warren Davidson, who has represented areas in Southwest Ohio and Greater Cincinnati since 2016, posted about Bondi’s hearing with the House Judiciary Committee on X. Davidson jabbed Bondi and the Department of Justice’s handling of the Epstein case, which has drawn criticism from elected officials and voters across political parties.
“Call me crazy, but I expect the Attorney General to lead the Department of Justice and focus on JUSTICE,” he posted on X on Feb. 11, the day of Bondi’s contentious hearing.
Davidson also reposted a popular X account that suggested Republicans will lose elections in 2028 over their handling of the Epstein investigation.
Davidson voted in November to release the Epstein files. The Enquirer left a voicemail at his Washington, D.C. office and emailed his spokesperson.
While House Democrats grilled Bondi over the Epstein investigation, the attorney general defended President Donald Trump and his administration’s successes, like stock market gains.
Trump, officials in his administration, former President Bill Clinton and others are mentioned in Epstein documents without credible accusations of wrongdoing, USA TODAY reported.
Ohio Republican’s post marks rare clash with Trump administration
Davidson rarely splits with Trump on social media or in the House Chamber. In 2025, the Troy Republican introduced a bill directing the National Institutes of Health to study the roots of “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” calling it an issue that “affects the real world.”
But in May, he voted against the One Big Beautiful Bill because it didn’t do enough to cut the national deficit. After White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt suggested Trump would like to see Davidson primaried, and after saying he spoke to Trump about the bill, the Ohio Republican flipped his vote to “yes.”
The day after posting about Bondi, Davidson praised Trump on X for “restoring common sense to power generation” by supporting the coal industry. The posts about Bondi and the later post about Trump were posted on his personal X account.
Davidson represents Ohio’s 8th Congressional District, which includes Butler, Darke and Preble counties, as well as parts of Hamilton and Miami counties.
The Epstein case ‒ and accusations about a lack of transparency and action from the Department of Justice ‒ have caused some Trump supporters to turn on the administration. Democrats and some Republican lawmakers, like Rep. Thomas Massie, have joined that criticism.
Erin Glynn contributed
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Rep. Warren Davidson jabs Bondi over Epstein hearing in rare split from Trump
Reporting by Victoria Moorwood, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
