Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino is contemplating leaving his job after a heated confrontation with Legal professional Normal Pam Bondi over his frustration with how the Justice Division has dealt with the Jeffrey Epstein recordsdata, based on an individual who has spoken with Bongino and a supply accustomed to the interactions that Bongino and FBI Director Kash Patel have had with Bondi.
“Bongino is uncontrolled livid,” the one who has spoken with the deputy FBI director mentioned. “This destroyed his profession. He is threatening to stop and torch Pam until she’s fired.”
Bongino didn’t report back to work Friday amid hypothesis about his whereabouts, a supply accustomed to the views of DOJ leaders, who additionally believes that Bongino is contemplating leaving, mentioned.
This got here after a confrontation Wednesday at a gathering with Bondi and White Home Chief of Workers Susie Wiles throughout which Bongino and Patel had been requested a few information story suggesting they had been dissatisfied with the choice to not launch any further Epstein recordsdata, based on the supply accustomed to the views of DOJ leaders and an extra supply accustomed to the assembly.
The assembly “obtained fairly heated,” one other supply who was briefed on the assembly mentioned.
“Bondi, [Deputy Attorney General] Todd Blanche, Patel and Bongino had been on the identical web page on this all alongside, till the criticism began to return in,” the supply accustomed to DOJ leaders’ views mentioned. “Bongino could not take it.”
An FBI spokesman didn’t reply to requests for remark, and the Justice Division declined to remark. In an announcement responding to earlier information experiences about Bongino’s dissatisfaction, White Home spokesman Harrison Fields mentioned, “President Trump has assembled a extremely certified and skilled regulation and order group devoted to defending Individuals, holding criminals accountable, and delivering justice to victims. This work is being carried out seamlessly and with unity. Any try to sow division inside this group is baseless and distracts from the actual progress being made in restoring public security and pursuing justice for all.”
After Fields’ assertion was supplied to NBC Information, White Home Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt supplied one other assertion during which she mentioned, “President Trump is pleased with Legal professional Normal Bondi’s efforts to execute his Make America Protected Once more agenda, restore the integrity of the Division of Justice, and produce justice to victims of crime. The continued fixation on sowing division in President Trump’s Cupboard is baseless and unfounded in actuality.”
Two sources accustomed to President Donald Trump’s pondering mentioned he has not misplaced confidence in anybody concerned.
The supply accustomed to DOJ leaders’ perspective mentioned the White Home is backing Bondi’s resolution to not launch any extra recordsdata, which accompanied a Justice Division assertion on Monday asserting that there is no such thing as a secret Epstein shopper listing and that no additional prices in opposition to others are warranted.
The supply accustomed to the views of Patel and Bongino say they’ve been more and more annoyed with Bondi over quite a lot of points, not simply the Epstein recordsdata. The 2 males, who’ve every day interactions with Bondi, have made clear their displeasure, the supply mentioned.
Bongino has frequently posted concerning the bureau and criticism it has acquired on X throughout his time within the job.
The choice and DOJ assertion on Epstein have sparked an uproar amongst many Trump supporters who consider there lengthy has been a cover-up involving the Epstein recordsdata. Patel and Bongino have been amongst those that superior that idea in recent times, with Bongino doing so on his fashionable podcast.
Investigators concerned within the case have mentioned for years that there is no such thing as a Epstein shopper listing and there are not any secrets and techniques buried in unreleased recordsdata.
Bondi herself has made statements that fed the conspiracy theories. She mentioned on Fox that she had an Epstein shopper listing on her desk, though the White Home and Bondi herself later mentioned she meant the Epstein recordsdata normally.
A DOJ assertion from Monday mentioned its evaluation “revealed no incriminating ‘shopper listing.’ There was additionally no credible proof discovered that Epstein blackmailed outstanding people as a part of his actions. We didn’t uncover proof that would predicate an investigation in opposition to uncharged third events.”
Ultimately, the supply near DOJ leaders mentioned, Bondi and Deputy Legal professional Normal Todd Blanche accepted these findings, realizing that releasing them would lead to criticism from Trump supporters. They believed Patel and Bongino had been with them, however that will not be true.
In a put up on X Friday morning, Blanche wrote, “I labored carefully with @FBIDirectorKash and @FBIDDBongino on the joint FBI and DOJ memo relating to the Epstein Recordsdata. All of us signed off on the contents of the memo and the conclusions said within the memo. The suggestion by anybody that there was any daylight between the FBI and DOJ management on this memo’s composition and launch is patently false.”