House Republicans indicated Wednesday they will continue to seek sworn testimony from Pam Bondi on the Justice Department’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case, even after her ousting as attorney general.

The House Oversight Committee subpoenaed Bondi for an April 14 deposition, but that date was never confirmed by Bondi, and the panel said in a statement that it will continue to seek a date for her testimony.

“The Department of Justice has stated Pam Bondi will not appear on April 14 for a deposition since she is no longer Attorney General and was subpoenaed in her capacity as Attorney General,” a spokeswoman for Oversight Republicans said in a statement. “The Committee will contact Pam Bondi’s personal counsel to discuss next steps regarding scheduling her deposition.”

Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) issued a subpoena to Bondi last month after five Republican lawmakers on the panel joined with Democrats to compel her testimony. The campaign to force Bondi to sit for questioning was championed by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), who brought the motion during a hearing.

The top Oversight Democrat, Rep. Robert Garcia of California, accused Bondi of “trying to get out of her legal obligation to testify” in a statement Wednesday.

“She must come in to testify immediately, and if she defies the subpoena, we will begin contempt charges in the Congress,” Garcia said. “The survivors deserve justice.”

The subpoena cover letter from Comer stated the then-attorney general was to appear on April 14. Customarily, subpoenas include a placeholder date and then attorneys negotiate a mutually agreeable schedule.

Todd Blanche, Bondi’s onetime deputy, is now acting attorney general. Blanche has also played an integral role in the Justice Department’s response to the Epstein case and interviewed his only convicted co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell, in Tallahassee, Florida, in July.

In a statement on X last week, Bondi said she would work over the next month to transition her role to Blanche and then move “to an important private sector role I am thrilled about, and where I will continue fighting for President Trump and this Administration.”

Oversight Democrats argue that despite her departure from the Justice Department, Bondi must still answer lawmakers’ questions. A committee spokesperson said last week that Comer would confer with his Republican members and the Justice Department about next steps.

The committee has transcribed interviews scheduled for the coming months with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, tech mogul Bill Gates and other figures who interacted with Epstein.

As President Donald Trump threatened death to the “whole civilization” of Iran in a social media post early Tuesday, Rep. Eli Crane was outraged.

“No sane person can think this is okay,” the Arizona Republican wrote on X, an hour after Trump’s message.

But Crane wasn’t talking about the possible eradication of an entire people by a U.S. president. He was talking about a report that women from Turkey flew to Long Island to give birth and sign up for Medicaid.

Crane was among dozens of lawmakers, Republican and Democrat, who published business-as-usual social media updates throughout the day Tuesday. Without acknowledging Trump’s stunning ultimatum, they shared partisan talking points, highlighted constituent meetings or celebrated local sports teams.

Because neither chamber has convened for a full session since March 27, Trump has been free to further push the bounds of GOP loyalty without fear of concentrated pushback — or at least the risk of Republican lawmakers getting asked uncomfortable questions in the Capitol halls.

While many have become practiced at deflecting queries about Trump’s jaw-dropping utterances, most appeared to conclude that the wisest reaction to the presidential threat to eradicate 90 million Iranians was to ignore it altogether.

Instead, it was just another Tuesday as Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) celebrated the Artemis II mission and a home-state visit from NASA’s administrator, Rep, Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) touted a $5 million federal law enforcement grant, Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) posted about his day at the annual White House Easter egg roll, and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) took note of the frosty April weather back home.

A spokesperson for Speaker Mike Johnson declined to comment — though the Louisiana Republican posted about an Uber Eats driver whose “accountant was shocked by how much more money he is keeping thanks to No Tax on Tips.”

The speaker has given no indication he plans to call members back early from recess, which is due to end April 14.

A spokesperson for Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso also declined to comment, and spokespeople for Senate Majority Leader John Thune, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer did not respond to requests for comment.

While many Democrats kept posting as though it was just another Tuesday — Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz paid tribute to “the amazing women of Red Hat Society of South Florida” and Rep. Frank Pallone posted in praise of the Jersey Shore — top party leaders erupted in outrage.

“This is an extremely sick person,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer quickly posted, while House Democratic leaders called in a joint statement for the House to return “immediately and vote to end this reckless war of choice in the Middle East before Donald Trump plunges our country into World War III.”

“It’s time for House Republicans to put patriotic duty over party loyalty and join Democrats in stopping this madness,” they continued.

In a separate joint statement with Schumer, the ranking members of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees called Trump’s threats a “war crime.”

“We speak today with one voice and one purpose: to condemn President Trump’s threat to extinguish an entire civilization,” they added.

Some rank-and-file congressional Democrats went even further, with Rep. Lateefah Simon of California announcing articles of impeachment against Trump.

Democratic Reps. Sarah McBride of Delaware and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan — as well as former Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, once one of Trump’s staunchest allies — were among those calling for the president to be deemed unfit for office and temporarily removed from his post under the 25th Amendment.

One House Republican aired misgivings about Trump’s ultimatum Tuesday afternoon.

“I do not support the destruction of a ‘whole civilization,’” Rep. Nathaniel Moran (R-Texas) wrote on X. “That is not who we are, and it is not consistent with the principles that have long guided America.”

But most Republicans are instead betting — or fervently hoping — that there will be some breakthrough before Trump’s 8 p.m. deadline, offering an off-ramp short of military annihilation. The threat several Democrats called “unhinged,” these Republicans believe, is just another unorthodox bargaining method.

“It is him negotiating Trump style,” Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) said in a text. “It is reckless words. But, I do want to see the regime buckle and make a true peace. I want to see the Persian civilization flourish but it cannot under the Ayatollahs’ yoke.”

Speaking Tuesday morning, Trump gave no indication he would be backing down. Fox News host Bret Baier, quoting a private conversation with Trump, said, “8 p.m. is happening.”

“If we get to that point,” Trump told Baier. “There is going to be an attack like they have not seen.”

At least one Republican said he is interpreting Trump literally.

“Thank God we have a commander-in-chief that is not full of empty rhetoric because we’ve delayed this inevitability for 50 years,” Rep. Jodey Arrington of Texas said on Fox News Tuesday morning.

The No. 3 Senate Republican, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, mentioned Iran in an X post celebrating the rescue of a downed Air Force officer but did not mention Trump’s dire threat.

“This weekend, the United States military once again showed the world what it is capable of,” Cotton said. “I commend our brave troops for completing this dangerous and heroic rescue mission.”

But a Senate GOP account run by Cotton’s team responded more directly: “Iran would be wise to take President Trump at his word.”

“They can choose the easy way or the hard way,” the account said.

Jordain Carney, Cheyanne Daniels and Mia McCarthy contributed to this report.

Bill Gates is scheduled to appear before the House Oversight Committee in the coming weeks, as the committee continues its investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Gates will sit for a transcribed interview June 10, according to a person familiar with the matter granted anonymity to discuss the committee’s deliberations. His interview comes after the committee issued a March 3 letter requesting his testimony.

A spokesperson for Gates’ foundation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Microsoft founder has been under heavy scrutiny for his relationship with the disgraced financier. Documents released in December depicted Gates with Epstein, and Gates has previously said he had several dinners with Epstein, though he added he was under the impression Epstein would use his wealthy connections to fundraise for global health causes.

When that didn’t happen, Gates told PBS NewsHour in 2021, he cut off the dinners and called the meetings “a mistake.”

Gates’ sitdown will round out a series of interviews before the committee.

Ted Waitt, the founder of Gateway who was romantically linked to Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell for years, will sit for a transcribed interview April 30, the person said; Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is also set to appear before the committee May 6.

Tova Noel, the prison guard who said she was the last to see Epstein alive, will be interviewed on May 18. And Lesley Groff, Epstein’s longtime assistant, will sit for an interview June 9.

A spokesperson at Waitt’s foundation did not immediately respond to a request for comment, nor did lawyers who have represented Groff. Noel could not immediately be reached.

The transcribed interviews, while more informal than a deposition, will take place behind closed doors.

The committee has already interviewed former Attorney General Bill Barr, former Labor Secretary Alex Acosta and Maxwell, who remains incarcerated.

Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have also been questioned on their relationship with Epstein.