Trump admin updates: Trump wants Senate to cancel August recess to work on nominees

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt didn't answer a question on the firing of Maurene Comey from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.

Leavitt deferred reporters to the Department of Justice, saying that it was their decision to fire Comey.The press secretary was later asked whether the White House had knowledge of the firing and whether Trump signed off on it. Leavitt sidestepped, saying only that it was a decision from the DOJ.

Comey prosecuted high-profile cases, including the Sean "Diddy" Combs prosecution and the office's case against Jeffrey Epstein. She is the daughter of former FBI director James Comey, who Trump fired during his first term.

-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked about calls to appoint a special counsel to investigate the Jeffrey Epstein case.

The press secretary said although the idea was floated by someone in the media, "the president would not recommend a special prosecutor in the Epstein case."

"That's how he feels," she added.

Leavitt was asked about President Donald Trump's claims that the Jeffrey Epstein controversy was a "hoax" perpetuated by the Democrats and she doubled down on the president's comments.

The press secretary maintained that the administration did a thorough job with the probe.

"It was this president who directed the Department of Justice and the attorney general to do an exhaustive review of all files related to Jeffrey Epstein, which they did," she said. "The attorney general and the FBI, led by Pam Bondi, Dan Bongino, Kash Patel, these are great patriots, some of the most trusted voices in the Republican Party movement."

Attorney General Pam Bondi is going to Alcatraz on Thursday to receive a briefing on the facility.

Bondi and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum will tour the prison and surrounding island, discuss facilities with Park Police and direct staff to collaborate on necessary planning to reopen the facility, according to a Justice Department official.

President Donald Trump announced on May 5 that he was ordering federal agencies to rebuild and reopen the notorious maximum security prison. Alcatraz closed more than 60 years ago, in part because it was considered too expensive to maintain.

"The reopening of ALCATRAZ will serve as a symbol of Law, Order, and JUSTICE. We will, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" Trump wrote in the May announcement.