Trump's desperate plea to FBI boss to smooth over rising MAGA mutiny... after agent's resignation threats
The president told reporters on Sunday that he spoke to Bongino amid rising reports that he would resign his post.
As a popular pro-MAGA right-wing podcaster before joining the FBI, Bongino touted conspiracies that convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was murdered in jail to prevent the list of his high-profile clientele from reaching the light of day.
Bongino was irate when the DOJ, which he works under as No. 2 at the FBI, concluded in its review of the files that the initial findings that Epstein killed himself in prison were true.
A DOJ insider told the Daily Mail on Friday that if Attorney General Pam Bondi keeps her job, Bongino will leave his.
But after a weekend to cool off and a conversation with Trump, Bongino appears to be backing off those threats to vacate his post at the FBI.
Asked on Sunday if Bongino remained in his position, Trump said: 'Oh I think so.'
'I spoke to him today,' he added. 'Dan Bongino, very good guy. I've known him a long time. I've done his show many, many times. He sounded terrific, actually.'
A White House insider tells the Daily Mail that Vice President JD Vance was part of the conversations over the weekend urging Bongino and FBI Director Kash Patel to stick around despite their disappointment with the handling of Bondi's review of the Epstein investigation.
Trump's conversation with Bongino is part of a continued effort to quell the rising chorus of MAGA voices furious over the DOJ memo last weekend that agreed with initial findings that Epstein killed himself.
The unsigned memo leaked to Axios asserted there was no 'client list,' even though Bondi has said the materials were on her desk ready for review and release. She now says that all of the 'files' were child pornography that will 'never see the light of day.'
Multiple outlets reported that Bongino got into a heated exchange with Bondi on Wednesday over the issue of the Epstein files.
This led to other reports, including from the Daily Mail, confirming the deputy FBI director was considering stepping down.
Many Republican, conservative and pro-Trump voices have joined Democrats who are not pleased with how the DOJ review has gone.
'Where's the press conference? Why drop an unsigned memo on a Sunday night to Axios? Why not stand and take all the Qs?' political commentator and right-leaning journalist Megyn Kelly lamented in a post to X on Sunday.
Far-right media personality Laura Loomer warned Republicans that the lack of revelations in the Epstein case will cost them elections in the future.
'People make their own choices and decisions, but mark my word, the lack of actual results at the DOJ and lack of transparency that translates into incompetence will cost the GOP House and Senate seats.'
'Don't say I didn't warn you,' she added.
And even Billionaire Elon Musk took a side when he unfollowed Bondi on X.
Trump is sticking by his AG, calling his base 'selfish' for 'going after' her.
'We're on one Team, MAGA, and I don't like what's happening,' the president lamented on his Truth Social on Saturday. 'We have a perfect Administration… and 'selfish people' are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein.'
He then said that the files were written by Democrats, including former President Barack Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former FBI Director James Comey and former CIA Director John Brennan.
He said it was up to them to release the files.
'They created the Epstein Files, just like they created the FAKE Hillary Clinton/Christopher Steele Dossier that they used on me, and now my so-called 'friends' are playing right into their hands,' Trump wrote in his lengthy social media post.
'No matter how much success we have had… it's never enough for some people.'
The president claims that Bondi has more important work to do then spending more months on looking at the Epstein files.
'Let's keep it that way, and not waste Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about,' he concluded.
Trump is standing by his AG and asking his base to accept the outcome of the Epstein files
But as much as Trump tries to stop the hate from flowing Bondi's way and the more he tries to downplay the importance of the Epstein files, the more his base leans into demanding that everything he DOJ has be brought to light.
Loomer helped lead the demands for Bondi to exit her post last week over the 'failure.'
'Please join me in calling for Blondi to RESIGN!' Loomer posted to X last Monday, using her nickname for the blonde-haired AG.
'How many more times is this woman going to get away with Fing (sic) everything up before she is FIRED?' she added.
On his podcast, conservative luminary Tucker Carlson theorized that Bondi is orchestrating a cover-up in order to protect members of the intelligence community who were ensnared in Epstein's conduct.
'The current DOJ under Pam Bondi is covering up crimes, very serious crimes by their own description,' Carlson said. 'Intel services are at the very center of this story, U.S. and Israeli and they're being protected.'
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reaffirmed Trump's continued support for Bondi despite calls to resign.
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