Latest news with #DanBongino
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Joe Rogan blasts Kash Patel and Dan Bongino for Epstein silence
Joe Rogan hit out at the FBI's Kash Patel and Dan Bongino for failing to deliver files on Jeffrey Epstein while speculating about who is really in charge of the sharing information with the public. The podcast host's outburst came after it emerged that the Department of Justice is ending its probe into the case, despite failing to disclose the disgraced financier's 'client list' as previously hinted at. 'Kash came on the podcast and said, "There's nothing that you want to see",' Rogan said during his show Friday. 'Dan Bongino, who's always shouting from the rooftops, "We're going to get to the bottom of this and find out who these people are", now everyone's saying "No, Epstein killed himself. No, nothing to see here", that's why people are cynical.' Patel and Bongino, along with other MAGA personalities, have fueled speculation that Epstein kept a shadowy 'client list' which would be reviewed and disclosed in due course. Bongino stated there was 'extremely credible' evidence of a 'multitude of tapes' existed showing Epstein and associates committing child abuse, a claim which was echoed by Attorney General Pam Bondi. But Rogan claimed the reticence to release the files is indicative of the fact Kash and Bongino are being controlled by external forces. 'People are cynical because you had all this hope for change, and then you realize, "Oh the same people that are pulling the strings are still pulling the strings",' he said. 'I think the cynical perspective is that at the highest levels, it's all being controlled by money and that's not going to change.' The DOJ, led by Bondi, said last week it had concluded that Epstein did not possess a 'client list' and that it had decided against releasing any additional records from the investigation. Conspiracy theorists seized on the decision as the latest in a long line of attempts to cover up and cover for a shadowy list of associates that many believe Epstein kept. The disgraced financier's former lawyer Alan Dershowitz denied the claims and said Epstein did not keep a list of clients. Meanwhile Republicans on the House Rules committee blocked an amendment pushed by Democrats that would have allowed for the release of documents related to the Epstein probe. The DOJ's decision led to a revolt among MAGA loyalists, many of whom had hoped that the files would see prominent Democrats linked to Epstein. The backlash pushed President Trump to request that Bondi release more of the materials. 'Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval,' he wrote on his Truth Social account. Bondi started that process on Friday by filing with the Southern District of New York to unseal the highly-secretive grand jury court documents in the case. Although the filing is submitted it doesn't mean the documents are coming anytime soon. The grand jury information is only a part of the evidence that makes up the so-called Epstein files. Trump's vow to unseal more information came after the Wall Street Journal published a 50th birthday card it said he allegedly sent to Epstein in 2003. It comes as Ghislaine Maxwell's lawyers had appealed to the Supreme Court to overturn her conviction for trafficking. To date, she remains the only person behind bars for crimes associated with the late pedophile, Jeffrey Epstein.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Joe Rogan hits out at FBI's Kash Patel and Dan Bongino over Epstein silence
Joe Rogan hit out at the FBI 's Kash Patel and Dan Bongino for failing to deliver files on Jeffrey Epstein while speculating about who is really in charge of the sharing information with the public. The podcast host's outburst came after it emerged that the Department of Justice is ending its probe into the case, despite failing to disclose the disgraced financier's 'client list' as previously hinted at. 'Kash came on the podcast and said, "There's nothing that you want to see",' Rogan said during his show Friday. 'Dan Bongino, who's always shouting from the rooftops, "We're going to get to the bottom of this and find out who these people are", now everyone's saying "No, Epstein killed himself. No, nothing to see here", that's why people are cynical.' Patel and Bongino, along with other MAGA personalities, have fueled speculation that Epstein kept a shadowy 'client list' which would be reviewed and disclosed in due course. Bongino stated there was 'extremely credible' evidence of a 'multitude of tapes' existed showing Epstein and associates committing child abuse, a claim which was echoed by Attorney General Pam Bondi. But Rogan claimed the reticence to release the files is indicative of the fact Kash and Bongino are being controlled by external forces. 'People are cynical because you had all this hope for change, and then you realize, "Oh the same people that are pulling the strings are still pulling the strings",' he said. 'I think the cynical perspective is that at the highest levels, it's all being controlled by money and that's not going to change.' The DOJ, led by Bondi, said last week it had concluded that Epstein did not possess a 'client list' and that it had decided against releasing any additional records from the investigation. Conspiracy theorists seized on the decision as the latest in a long line of attempts to cover up and cover for a shadowy list of associates that many believe Epstein kept. The disgraced financier's former lawyer Alan Dershowitz denied the claims and said Epstein did not keep a list of clients. Meanwhile Republicans on the House Rules committee blocked an amendment pushed by Democrats that would have allowed for the release of documents related to the Epstein probe. The DOJ's decision led to a revolt among MAGA loyalists, many of whom had hoped that the files would see prominent Democrats linked to Epstein. The backlash pushed President Trump to request that Bondi release more of the materials. ' Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval,' he wrote on his Truth Social account. Bondi started that process on Friday by filing with the Southern District of New York to unseal the highly-secretive grand jury court documents in the case. Although the filing is submitted it doesn't mean the documents are coming anytime soon. The grand jury information is only a part of the evidence that makes up the so-called Epstein files. Trump's vow to unseal more information came after the Wall Street Journal published a 50th birthday card it said he allegedly sent to Epstein in 2003. It comes as Ghislaine Maxwell's lawyers had appealed to the Supreme Court to overturn her conviction for sex trafficking.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Epstein files uproar puts spotlight on Dan Bongino
Public uproar and internal fighting in the Trump administration over the handling of documents related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein has put a spotlight on FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino and his importance to members of President Trump's base. Bongino has been at the center of debate over the Epstein files after the Justice Department essentially closed the case in a joint memo with the FBI. The deputy FBI director has clashed with Attorney General Pam Bondi over the issue and reportedly weighed resigning. The outrage on the right over the prospect of Bongino exiting underscored both his importance to the base and how central he had been to fueling the controversies and conspiracy theories that animate many Trump backers. Sources close to the White House told The Hill that members of the MAGA movement view Bongino as one of their own. He has built a following over the past decade, and is considered a true outsider with a finger on the pulse of the base who was appointed to a position of power to act on issues they care about, including the Epstein documents. 'Dan is a brand of MAGA that is fiercely loyal to the president. But he's also somebody who has made a heck of a media career going into depth about issues that the base cares about, whether it be things like Epstein or the [Trump] assassination attempt at Butler,' one source close to the White House said. 'He is considered a trusted voice,' the source added. 'I think this is someone who is honored to serve the Trump administration, but also put his brand on the line when it came to, 'We're going to get to the bottom of Epstein.'' Bongino is a former New York City police officer and Secret Service agent who ran unsuccessfully for Congress in Maryland and Florida. His media career took off during Trump's first term, and he has built a large following through his radio show, his podcast and appearances on Fox News over the years. He has 7 million followers on the social platform X. When Trump tapped Bongino as second in command at the FBI, it was hailed as a win for the MAGA base to have a true outsider who thought and talked like them in a position of power. 'When Dan Bongino speaks, the base listens,' the source close to the White House said. Bongino has used his massive media platform to echo Trump's talking points and rally support for the president and the MAGA movement. He has pushed conspiratorial claims about topics including the 2020 election, the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and the Epstein case. Bongino was among those who spread allegations there was something nefarious about Dominion Voting Systems in the 2020 election, a common claim among Trump supporters. The voting technology company and Fox News settled a defamation case over similar claims in 2023. Bongino said on his show in 2024 that the government's 'goal' on Jan. 6, 2021, was to 'shut down' efforts by Republicans to question the certification of the 2020 election. He went on to suggest the placement of pipe bombs outside the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee was part of that effort. On Epstein, Bongino was among those on the right who amplified claims there was something nefarious the government was hiding about Epstein's associates and his death. 'Listen, that Jeffrey Epstein story is a big deal. Please do not let that story go. Keep your eye on this,' Bongino told his listeners in 2023. But as a government official, Bongino's role has been more complicated. He went on Fox News in May and said Epstein died by suicide. He later posted on X that he was not asking his followers to believe him, but that he was relaying what the evidence said. The Justice Department and FBI issued a joint memo last week that stated Epstein did not have a client list and confirmed his 2019 death in his New York City jail cell was a suicide. The findings incensed members of the MAGA movement, who have for years pushed conspiracy theories about Epstein's death and claims that prominent Democrats would be named on a client list. Epstein, accused in several cases of sex trafficking young girls, ran in high-powered circles with figures that included Trump, former President Clinton, Britain's Prince Andrew and a number of other celebrities and ultrawealthy people. Epstein's associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, has been convicted of sex trafficking. Bongino fumed over the decision to effectively close the case, according to a source familiar with the matter. Multiple outlets reported that he considered quitting. Though Bongino has remained on the job, he has not spoken publicly or posted on X in nearly a week. His threat to resign raised the specter of a further revolt among prominent conservatives. 'Can confirm it's Bongino or Bondi – and the pick is obvious. Bondi must go,' Megyn Kelly posted on X last week at the peak of Bongino's frustration. One pro-Trump operative likened Bongino's influence to that of Fox News host Sean Hannity or conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh. 'Our base views him as 'one of them,' and so the idea of him walking out of the administration in this manner would certainly cause a portion of Trump supporters to feel dejected,' the operative told The Hill. 'It's less about Bongino specifically and more about the broader symbolism him leaving would represent.' Trump has publicly expressed support this week for both Bongino and Bondi. The attorney general has taken the brunt of the anger from conservatives over the Epstein case, with many arguing she has overpromised and underdelivered on providing more documentation. But the president has also shown he is getting frustrated by the continued focus on the Epstein case, despite it being something Bongino, Vice President Vance and others in his administration have perpetuated in the past. Trump told reporters Wednesday he would support Bondi releasing 'credible' information related to the Epstein files. But he also complained the focus on the Epstein documents was taking away from the administration's successes on Capitol Hill and elsewhere. 'Certain Republicans got duped by the Democrats, and they're following a Democrat playbook,' Trump said. 'And no different than Russia, Russia, Russia, and all the other hoaxes, they're started by the Democrats. And Some Republicans, in this case — I was surprised — they got duped.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The podcast host blamed the FBI's top two officials for reneging on 'what everyone was promised.'
Joe Rogan has it in for Kash Patel and Dan Bongino, whom he ripped on Friday for not delivering bombshell revelations about Jeffrey Epstein as 'promised.' 'I think the cynical perspective is that at the highest levels, it's all being controlled by money and that's not going to change,' Rogan said on the latest episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, released Friday. 'Kash came on the podcast and said, 'There's nothing that you want to see,'' regarding Epstein. 'Dan Bongino, who's always shouting from the rooftops, 'We're going to get to the bottom of this and find out who these people are,'' but now, 'Everyone's saying 'No, Epstein killed himself. No, nothing to see here,'' he went on. 'That's why people are cynical. People are cynical because you had all this hope for change, and then you realize, 'Oh the same people that are pulling the strings are still pulling the strings.'' Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'We are so back': MAGA supporters rally around Trump following WSJ article
Leading voices in President Donald Trump's MAGA base who had been critical for days of the president and administration's handling of the Epstein files are now rallying to Trump's defense following a story in the Wall Street Journal, and are celebrating the administration's move to release grand jury testimony, potentially cooling the backlash among his supporters. The administration angered many of Trump's supporters when it announced last week that it would not release any additional files on Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy financier and convicted sex offender who died by suicide in jail in 2019, after earlier promising to do so. Prior to joining the administration, Trump boosters like Kash Patel and Dan Bongino had stoked conspiracy theories about an Epstein "client list" that allegedly included the names of wealthy Democratic elites. But elevated to leadership positions in the FBI, both Patel and Bongino signed off on a memo stating that no such list existed -- angering some of Trump's most vocal supporters. MORE: DOJ files request to unseal Epstein grand jury records after uproar over files That changed on Thursday, when the Wall Street Journal published a letter it alleged Trump had sent Epstein in 2003 for his 50th birthday. ABC News has not been able to confirm the existence of the letter. Trump, who had been friendly with Epstein for around 15 years before they had a falling out in 2004, denied to the Journal that he had written the letter, and on Friday filed a defamation lawsuit against the paper claiming damages of not less than $10 billion. Leading Trump supporters rallied to the president's side. Following the Journal article, MAGA voices who had been some of Trump's most vocal critics over the last week, including Megyn Kelly, Charlie Kirk, Jack Posobiec, Laura Loomer, Benny Johnson and even Elon Musk rushed to defend the president. Posobiec, a MAGA podcaster who had been one of the loudest voices pushing the Epstein issue, told former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, "We're so back. Everyone is firing on all cylinders. The MAGA movement is completely united behind this fight." "We have to be on offensive all the time," Bannon told his online audience, saying of Trump, "They tried to actually destroy him." Trump also announced Thursday that he was asking Attorney General Pam Bondi to "produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval" in regard to the Epstein case -- prompting accolades from supporters who had been pushing for the release of more Epstein material. Johnson, another MAGA podcaster, tweeted "victory" in response to the news. Kirk, on his show, urged his viewers to "thank President Trump" for pushing his administration to release the testimony. "So for any of you in the audience that were a little uneasy, that were a little anxious, I think it's morally incumbent on you to say thank you President Trump, thank you for stepping up and for doing this," Kirk said. "Thank you President Trump, for fulfilling what you said you were going to do, because he does deserve credit." MORE: DOJ files request to unseal Epstein grand jury records after uproar over files The Journal story appears to have redirected MAGA supporters' criticism and unified them against a familiar target: the media. But whether the shift in support will hold is unclear. While figures like Kirk and Bannon have framed the grand jury promise as a major win, the release of the testimony itself could take time, as officials must first assess its impact on victims then win the approval of a federal judge. And because the grand jury transcripts represent only a small fraction of the files on Epstein, it's unclear if the contents will satisfy members of Trump's base who have been demanding the release of all Epstein materials. The last time the administration released Epstein-related files in February, the move sparked further questions and contributed to the backlash the president and his administration are still dealing with today. For now, though, Kirk said on his show that "it was very fun to see" the MAGA base rallying around Trump following the publication of the Journal's story. Seemingly to underscore the point, Kirk opened his show with a snippet of Joe Cocker's performance of the song "With a Little Help From My Friends" -- in an apparent wink and a nod to the story helping to unite the MAGA movement behind the president once again.
