Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino is considering leaving his occupation aft a heated confrontation pinch Attorney General Pam Bondi complete his vexation pinch really nan Justice Department has handled nan Jeffrey Epstein files, according to a personification who has spoken pinch Bongino and a root acquainted pinch nan interactions that Bongino and FBI Director Kash Patel person had pinch Bondi.
“Bongino is retired of power furious,” nan personification who has spoken pinch nan lawman FBI head said. “This destroyed his career. He’s threatening to discontinue and torch Pam unless she’s fired.”
Bongino did not study to activity Friday amid speculation astir his whereabouts, a root acquainted pinch nan perspectives of DOJ leaders, who besides believes that Bongino is considering leaving, said.
This came aft a confrontation Wednesday astatine a gathering pinch Bondi and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles during which Bongino and Patel were asked astir a news communicative suggesting they were dissatisfied pinch nan determination not to merchandise immoderate further Epstein files, according to nan root acquainted pinch nan perspectives of DOJ leaders and an further root acquainted pinch nan meeting.
The gathering “got beautiful heated,” different root who was briefed connected nan gathering said.
“Bondi, [Deputy Attorney General] Todd Blanche, Patel and Bongino were connected nan aforesaid page connected this each along, until nan disapproval started to travel in,” nan root acquainted pinch DOJ leaders’ perspectives said. “Bongino couldn’t return it.”
An FBI spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment, and nan Justice Department declined to comment. In a connection responding to earlier news reports astir Bongino’s dissatisfaction, White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said, “President Trump has assembled a highly qualified and knowledgeable rule and bid squad dedicated to protecting Americans, holding criminals accountable, and delivering justness to victims. This activity is being carried retired seamlessly and pinch unity. Any effort to sow section wrong this squad is baseless and distracts from nan existent advancement being made successful restoring nationalist information and pursuing justness for all.”
After Fields’ connection was provided to NBC News, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt provided different connection successful which she said, “President Trump is proud of Attorney General Bondi’s efforts to execute his Make America Safe Again agenda, reconstruct nan integrity of nan Department of Justice, and bring justness to victims of crime. The continued fixation connected sowing section successful President Trump’s Cabinet is baseless and unfounded successful reality.”
Two sources acquainted pinch President Donald Trump's reasoning said he has not mislaid assurance successful anyone involved.
The root acquainted pinch DOJ leaders’ position said nan White House is backing Bondi’s determination not to merchandise immoderate much files, which accompanied a Justice Department connection connected Monday asserting that location is nary concealed Epstein customer database and that nary further charges against others are warranted.
The root acquainted pinch nan perspectives of Patel and Bongino opportunity they person been progressively disappointment pinch Bondi complete a assortment of issues, not conscionable nan Epstein files. The 2 men, who person regular interactions pinch Bondi, person made clear their displeasure, nan root said.
Bongino has regularly posted astir nan bureau and disapproval it has received connected X during his clip successful nan job.
The determination and DOJ connection connected Epstein person sparked an uproar among galore Trump supporters who judge location agelong has been a cover-up involving nan Epstein files. Patel and Bongino person been among those who precocious that mentation successful caller years, pinch Bongino doing truthful connected his celebrated podcast.
Investigators progressive successful nan lawsuit person said for years that location is nary Epstein customer database and location are nary secrets buried successful unreleased files.
Bondi herself has made statements that fed nan conspiracy theories. She said connected Fox that she had an Epstein customer database connected her desk, though nan White House and Bondi herself later said she meant nan Epstein files successful general.
A DOJ connection from Monday said its reappraisal “revealed nary incriminating ‘client list.’ There was besides nary reliable grounds recovered that Epstein blackmailed salient individuals arsenic portion of his actions. We did not uncover grounds that could predicate an investigation against uncharged 3rd parties.”
In nan end, nan root adjacent to DOJ leaders said, Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche accepted those findings, knowing that releasing them would consequence successful disapproval from Trump supporters. They believed Patel and Bongino were pinch them, but that whitethorn nary longer beryllium true.
In a post connected X Friday morning, Blanche wrote, “I worked intimately pinch @FBIDirectorKash and @FBIDDBongino connected nan associated FBI and DOJ memo regarding nan Epstein Files. All of america signed disconnected connected nan contents of nan memo and nan conclusions stated successful nan memo. The proposal by anyone that location was immoderate daylight betwixt nan FBI and DOJ activity connected this memo’s creation and merchandise is patently false.”

Ken Dilanian
Ken Dilanian is nan justness and intelligence analogous for NBC News, based successful Washington.

Vaughn Hillyard
Vaughn Hillyard is simply a analogous for NBC News.

Monica Alba
Monica Alba is simply a White House analogous for NBC News.

Ryan J. Reilly
Ryan J. Reilly is simply a justness newsman for NBC News.

Allan Smith
Allan Smith is simply a governmental newsman for NBC News.
Yamiche Alcindor
contributed
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