The Deputy Director of the FBI has returned to work days after he threatened to quit over the botched handling of the Epstein investigation.
Dan Bongino, a prominent advocate of theories regarding Jeffrey Epstein’s client list, was notably absent from work on Friday following assurances from Attorney General Pam Bondi and President Donald Trump that no such list exists.
It was reported that Bongino had threatened to resign due to the mishandling of the investigation, which has caused unrest within the MAGA community and alienated some of Trump’s most steadfast supporters.
However, Bongino, a podcaster who was elevated from political obscurity to aid in leading the revamped FBI, reportedly resumed his duties this week, though there remains uncertainty surrounding his future at the agency.
By Monday morning, officials were starting to squirm and feared that Bongino would be a no-show yet again, but he arrived in the office a few hours later than expected.
According to The Daily Beast, administration insiders claim Trump is quietly furious that one of his hand-picked appointees would so publicly go against him.
Trump rushed to Bondi’s defense amid mounting criticism from the likes of Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly and Steve Bannon, asking: ‘What’s going on with my ”boys” and, in some cases, ”gals?”
‘They’re all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB! We’re on one Team, MAGA, and I don’t like what’s happening.
Dan Bongino, a longtime leading proponent of theories about Jeffrey Epstein ‘s client list, failed to show up to work on Friday after Attorney General Pam Bondi and President Donald Trump assured the public no such list exists
Trump rushed to Bondi’s defense amid mounting criticism from the likes of Tucker Carlson , Megyn Kelly and Steve Bannon, as well as the broader MAGA community
‘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.’
Even after his defense of her, major MAGA backers are demanding Bondi lose her job over the saga.
There were initially whispers that Bongino and FBI boss Kash Patel were united in their willingness to walk away from their jobs if Bondi kept hers, but Patel has since squashed those rumors.
‘The conspiracy theories just aren’t true, never have been,’ Patel said. ‘It’s an honor to serve the President of the United States @realDonaldTrump — and I’ll continue to do so for as long as he calls on me.’
Bongino was reportedly particularly irked by Bondi’s decision to oversell what she initially had during the early stages of the Epstein investigation.
In February, she invited MAGA influencers to the White House and gave them binders containing ‘a truckload’ of new details, but upon closer inspection it was discovered the folders contained no new information.
Then, she said the highly anticipated client list was ‘sitting on my desk’ awaiting review before it, too, would be released.
Now, she maintains a client list does not exist, and said in a memo that Epstein likely died by suicide, rather than the long-held conspiracy held by many within MAGA that he was murdered while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Bondi concluded that Epstein did in fact kill himself, and did not keep a ‘client list’ with incriminating evidence
She invited MAGA influencers to the White House in February and handed over ‘Epstein binders’ which were meant to be just phase one of a transparent roll out of information
Trump has rushed to Bondi’s defense and called Bongino personally to encourage him to remain with the FBI
Sources claimed Bongino was confronted last week about information that was leaked to the media suggesting he and Patel wanted more information released to the public.
He maintained he was not the source of the leaks.
Trump told reporters on Sunday he had contacted Bongino and urged him not to resign.
‘I spoke to him today,’ he said. ‘Dan Bongino, very good guy. I’ve known him a long time. I’ve done his show many, many times. He sounded terrific, actually.’
Asked on Sunday if Bongino remained in his position, Trump said: ‘Oh I think so.’
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.
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.’
There were initially whispers that Bongino and FBI boss Kash Patel were united in their willingness to walk away from their jobs if Bondi kept hers
But Bongino (pictured left with Trump), a podcaster who was picked out of political obscurity to help lead the new-and-improved FBI, reportedly returned to work this week under a cloud of uncertainty about his future at the agency
‘Don’t say I didn’t warn you,’ she added. Billionaire Elon Musk took a side when he unfollowed Bondi on X.
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.
‘President Trump is proud of Attorney General Bondi’s efforts to execute his Make America Safe Again agenda,’ Levitt told the Daily Mail. ‘The continued fixation on sowing division in President Trump’s Cabinet is baseless and unfounded in reality.’
