Attorney General Pam Bondi has stated she has “every intention to stay and serve,” despite widespread reports of internal turmoil surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
The news follows reports of a heated meeting at the White House involving Bondi, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, FBI Director Kash Patel, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
During the meeting, tensions reportedly escalated as Bongino and Patel were questioned about a NewsNation story. The article claimed that the FBI sought to release more Epstein-related documents but was blocked by the Department of Justice.
Bongino denied leaking any information to the press, according to a source familiar with the meeting who spoke to CNN. However, he did not sign a statement included in the article defending the DOJ’s handling of the files.
While sources say Bongino has not made a final decision, CNN reported he indicated he may resign if Bondi remains in her position.
CNN also reported that Bongino did not show up to work on Friday, which has fueled speculation about his potential departure. As of Friday afternoon, no formal resignation had been submitted.
The ongoing dispute has sparked mounting frustration inside and outside the White House.
Critics have pointed to Bondi’s management of the Epstein documents as a source of controversy, the Conservative Brief reported.
The files became a political flashpoint after a Department of Justice memo released this week concluded there was no murder, no client list, and no blackmail evidence involving Epstein. The findings have angered many of President Trump’s strongest supporters.
During his 2024 presidential campaign, President Trump had suggested he would consider releasing additional Epstein-related files. Supporters had hoped the documents would implicate more individuals or refute the official story of Epstein’s suicide.
Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide, though many continue to doubt the ruling.
Sources told CNN that Bongino and Patel had been clashing with Bondi for months behind the scenes over the pace and scope of the Epstein review.
That tension became public Friday when conservative activist Laura Loomer posted on social media that Bongino and Patel were “LIVID” with Bondi. She also claimed Bongino had taken the day off and might not return.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche responded on X, calling the notion of discord between DOJ and FBI leadership “patently false.”
White House Deputy Press Secretary Harrison Fields also issued a statement supporting the administration’s law enforcement team and dismissing reports of division.
Fields said President Trump has assembled a “highly qualified and experienced law and order team” working in unity to serve justice and protect the public.
In February, Bondi held a meeting with pro-Trump influencers at the White House, where she handed out binders of Epstein-related information. Much of the material was already public, and the rollout was criticized by some allies as ineffective.
Despite internal tensions, Bondi’s allies maintain she intends to remain in her position and continue her work on behalf of the administration.
Bongino and Kash wrote the Epstein memo and released it, ‘UNSIGNED’ thru Axios, a leftist site in the dead of night!
Bondi had no input in the memo. She was set up!