A high-stakes rift at the top of federal law enforcement has erupted into public view as Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino considers resigning amid turmoil over the handling of Jeffrey Epstein files.
Bongino’s future at the FBI has been thrown into doubt following a heated confrontation with Attorney General Pam Bondi over the Justice Department’s decision to promptly end the investigation into the Epstein case.
The controversy centers on a memo released by the DOJ and FBI, which stated that a review of the Epstein files uncovered no evidence to support the existence of a “client list” or to suggest Epstein was murdered in his New York jail cell in 2019.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Bondi claimed in February that the Epstein “client list” was sitting on her desk “right now to review.”
This contradiction sparked a disagreement between Bondi and Bongino, with the FBI Director reportedly considering resignation if Bondi remains in her role, according to an NBC News source close to the situation.
The source claimed that “Bongino is out of control furious” and is prepared to take drastic actions if the issues are not remedied.
“This destroyed his career. He’s threatening to quit and torch Pam unless she’s fired,” claimed the source, per NBC News.
Another source spoke with CNN about the ongoing disagreements in the Trump administration, explaining that Bongino’s relationship with the White House has become “basically untenable.”
This source added that no decision has been made on whether Bongino will stay in his role for the short term, but the belief is that a long-term future is increasingly unlikely at this time.
President Donald Trump addressed the controversy on Sunday, saying that he believes Bongino will remain with the FBI and that he is “in good shape” following the disagreements.
“Oh I think so. I did, I spoke to him today. Dan Bongino, very good guy. I’ve known him a long time. I’ve done his show many, many times. And he sounded terrific, actually,” said the President, per USA Today.
The President has consistently sided with Bondi during the Epstein controversy, posting on his social media platform Truth Social to write that the attorney general “is doing a FANTASTIC JOB!”
Another source close to the situation addressed the claims and said that “Bondi is in a great headspace” despite the disagreements and criticism about the handling of this case.
“Her relationship with Trump is as strong as ever, and she looks forward to going on offense,” the source added while speaking with CNN.
Moving forward, there is no clear indication about whether Bongino will remain with the FBI, though Bondi is reportedly allowing him to make that decision on his own.