The infighting over the case came to a head during a Wednesday meeting, which included Bongino, Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, sources said. Bongino and Patel were confronted about whether they were behind a story that said the FBI wanted more information released but was ultimately stymied by the Department of Justice, the sources said.
Deputy FBI Director Bongino Has Told People He Is Considering Resigning Amid Epstein Files Fallout
As the blame games and buck-passing continue, a source close to the Trump White House says that on Sunday, Bondi, Patel, and Bongino all three internally backed the release of the now-infamous memo. Each hoped that doing so would end the intra-MAGA attacks they were getting for the investigation and the lack of conspiracy-confirming revelations.
When the memo, released by the DOJ and FBI, triggered backlash from Trump superfans, Bongino vented that he and Patel were getting blamed by the MAGA right for what was Bondi and others' fault, per the sources, and that their credibility with these factions was getting shredded. Two of these sources add that tension between Patel and Bondi is not new. "Those two do not like each other," one of the Trump administration officials adds. "It surprises me that there hasn't been more reporting on that."
"The fact is, [Bongino] was for releasing the information with the video and had no problem until he got heat online," Axios quoted a senior administration official as saying. "Bongino found the video with the missing minute. He vouched for it after a 'thorough review,' he said, and he thought this would end the matter. When that didn't work, he lost his mind and ran out of D.C."
DOJ's Epstein Memo Is Tearing the Trump Administration Apart
If he departs, there's also a possibility FBI Director Kash Patel follows, both sources added.
"He's gone," one source said of Bongino. "Will come back if Bondi [is] held accountable."
If Bongino decides to depart, Patel's future is unclear — he may decide to leave as well, the two sources said. Both Patel and Bongino are said to want Bondi out as head of DOJ.
Uncertainty Reigns At FBI As Bongino Weighs Resignation Over Epstein Flap
"Source close to DOJ says Kash Patel also wants Pam Bondi gone, and that he'd consider leaving if Bongino leaves," Olohan said. "Also that there are more frustrations with other documents Bondi hasn't released."
Kash Patel Considering Resigning If Pam Bondi Keeps Her Job
Lol. What a shitshow, Trump is probably going to get away with any blame once again and Bondi will be the fall person like Mike Waltz and Alex Wong for the Signal leaks, but Mike got a damn side hustle as U.N. Ambassador directly after, although I don't think he actually has assumed that role yet? So who knows, Idk, this admin is already revolving doors.
Should start taking bets on how much of the Trump admin is going to be leaving in controversial disgrace during his term, some people are going to end up juggling like 3 different roles at this rate, Lol, I think Rubio currently has Secretary of State and National Security Advisor, who will replace Bongino and Pam Bondi? Another alcoholic from Fox News maybe?
At least they're all garbage, I can't wait for the RFK Jr fallout now that we got rid of Musk.
Trump has no blame though, it's not his fault he doesn't have a clue what anyone is doing in his admin, I mean shit he still doesn't even apparently know who blocked Ukraine aid, and Republicans are okay with this, either he is lying (he obviously is) or he is incredibly incompetent in that he seemingly doesn't know what anyone is up to in his own damn admin, which is it Republicans? Lying or incompetence? It has to be one or the other, it cannot possibly be anything else, he either doesn't know what his admin is doing, or he is lying and is implicated.
Last edited by Ryuu96 - on 11 July 2025
