FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino reportedly became visibly upset during a closed-door White House meeting this week, expressing strong frustration over how the Department of Justice handled the release of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking case, according to multiple sources.
Sources say Bongino raised his voice during a discussion with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and eventually stormed out. He also exchanged heated words with Attorney General Pam Bondi. One source noted that the incident has led Bongino to consider resigning from the FBI. However, another person familiar with the meeting disputed the claim that Bongino yelled at Wiles or Bondi, though they confirmed he was “enraged” over what he saw as Bondi’s “lack of transparency from the start.”
The controversy centers on a DOJ-FBI joint memo released Monday stating there is no new information in Epstein’s files that would lead to further charges. The memo first surfaced in Axios over the weekend, triggering outrage among Trump supporters, especially those who had expected more revelations from the Epstein investigation.
Asked to comment, a White House official said the allegation that Bongino yelled at Wiles was “100% false.” Wiles, a seasoned political strategist from Florida, has been praised by President Trump as “universally admired.”
Despite the reported tension and Bongino’s consideration of resignation, FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Bondi have remained in contact, according to people familiar with the situation. Patel reportedly remains committed to his role. “The conspiracy theories just aren’t true, never have been,” Patel posted Saturday. “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.”
The DOJ and FBI did not respond to requests for comment.
The memo released Monday stated Epstein died by suicide and confirmed that no “client list” exists. Bongino, a former Secret Service agent with no prior FBI experience, had previously hosted a podcast where he repeatedly suggested the government was hiding damaging information about high-profile individuals connected to Epstein. He said, “there’s a reason they’re hiding it,” and claimed its disclosure would “rock the political world.”
Now, Bongino, Bondi, and Patel are facing criticism from parts of their own base, accused of backing away from previous promises to reveal more details about Epstein’s case.
Epstein, a financier with ties to wealthy and powerful individuals, was arrested in 2019 for allegedly recruiting and abusing underage girls. His associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, was later convicted of conspiring to sexually abuse minors and is serving a 20-year sentence while appealing her conviction.
According to the DOJ and FBI, much of the unreleased information remains sealed by court order or involves child pornography and sensitive victim data.
Before their government roles, both Patel and Bongino were vocal in promoting theories suggesting Epstein’s case was being deliberately obscured by federal agencies. The DOJ-FBI memo rejected those claims, stating there was “no incriminating ‘client list.’”
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche released a statement on X defending the DOJ-FBI collaboration on the memo. He insisted that Bongino had been fully aligned with DOJ leadership during its preparation, calling claims of internal division “patently false.”
Bongino did not report to work on Friday, reportedly due to the fallout from the memo. One source said he did not anticipate the backlash from his supporters.
