Trump fumed when Dan Bongino threatened to resign amid Epstein clash: report
The drama between senior Trump officials unfolded days after the Justice Department and FBI released a memo that put to rest theories that child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein had kept a 'client list' of high-profile individuals, and speculation over his death in federal prison six years ago.
The FBI/DOJ memo has sparked a mini revolt among MAGA supporters who had trusted the administration would deliver new and potentially explosive, secret information in the Epstein investigation, after several officials hinted there was more to the story.
Following the memo release, White House officials reportedly confronted Bongino and FBI Director Kash Patel over a story leaked to NewsNation that claimed the Justice Department had stopped the FBI from unsealing further evidence related to Epstein.
Patel and Bongino denied that they were behind the leak. However, Bongino was so frustrated he offered an ultimatum to the president: either fire Bondi or he would resign. Bongino reportedly did not show up to work Friday as a result of the incident, sources told CNN Monday.
The situation 'infuriated' the president, who spent the weekend angry with Bongino, CNN reported. The Independent has asked the White House for comment.
After reports of the spat, Trump publicly backed Bondi, and Patel announced he would not step down as FBI director.
By Sunday, the president's anger appeared to have dissipated as he told reporters that he had spoken with Bongino, who remains his deputy FBI director. According to CNN, Bongino was back in his office Monday.
Many of those expressing disappointment with the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein Files are notable conservative influencers or Republican lawmakers.
'America deserves the truth about Jeffrey Epstein and the rich powerful elites in his circle,' Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote on X Monday.
'If Jeffrey Epstein had over 1,000 victims, there could be thousands of people who could name at least *some* of his accomplices I don't understand why more info isn't being released and am trying to get answers,' Utah Senator Mike Lee wrote on X.
Laura Loomer, a close ally to Trump, accused Bondi of 'blowing up' the administration 'by concealing information, spending time on Fox News lying to MAGA base and by releasing contradictory statements.'
'Blondi has been very DAMAGING to the admin and she has damaged public trust in the DOJ. She is hurting President Trump and his staff/advisors,' Loomer said, calling for Trump to fire her.
Trump, who was once friendly with Epstein, has tried to tamp down public scrutiny of the Justice Department's memo and speculation around any MAGA infighting.
The president expressed momentary outrage that people were still digging into the Epstein story after the memo was released.
'Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein?' Trump asked a reporter who questioned him about Epstein during a cabinet meeting last week. 'This guy's been talked about for years. Are people still talking about this guy? This creep? That is unbelievable.'
Over the weekend, Trump encouraged people to 'not waste time and energy' on Epstein while trying to portray his administration as a united front.
'We have a PERFECT Administration, THE TALK OF THE WORLD, and 'selfish people' are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein,' the president wrote on Truth Social.
Charlie Kirk, a conservative influencer and vocal Trump supporter, told his podcast audience Tuesday that he would no longer be talking about the Epstein situation after speaking with the president.
Michael Wolff, author of four books on Trump, told The Daily Beast on Tuesday that the president is shaken by the response to the Epstein memo and the fact that people are ruminating on it.
'This is a problem of their own making. And I think that Trump has been determined to ignore the subject of Epstein for years and years and years,' Wolff said.
Wolff also claimed that Trump is 'at war' with his Justice Department because they underdelivered any new or shocking claims after hyping up potential findings of the Epstein investigation.
For years, Epstein c onspiracy theorists have accused the government of withholding information on Epstein to protect high-profile people.
Bongino, a former radio host and one of the biggest Epstein conspiracy boosters in the conservative space, had previously insinuated that there was a 'reason' officials were not releasing the supposed 'client list', before taking up his FBI posting.
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