FBI Director Kash Patel has issued a statement following 24 hours of rumors and reports that he, along with Deputy Director Dan Bongino, are considering resigning from their positions over a disagreement with Attorney General Pam Bondi regarding late financier and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein’s case.
Reports on Friday claimed the trio were at odds and were vocally disagreeing earlier this week in a tense White House meeting after Bondi’s Justice Department issued a memo last weekend stating there was no so-called Epstein “client list,” and that there would be nothing further released from the administration regarding documents and other materials. The memo also denied there was a conspiracy to reveal, or that any such client list even existed.
“The conspiracy theories just aren’t true, never have been. 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,” Patel wrote on the X platform.
Bongino has not issued a similar statement, and as of this writing, has not posted anything on his official X account addressing the reports that he had given an ultimatum to the administration that either Bondi resign or he would.
The memo set off a firestorm within the conservative and MAGA political world, with several pundits and influencers crying foul and calling on Bondi to be ousted after she claimed for months that she was in possession of the very evidence she now says doesn’t exist and never has. That said, the administration has issued statements appearing to push back on claims there was vehement disagreement within the ranks or that anyone’s jobs were on the line.
White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Harrison Fields released a statement concerning the reports on Friday, saying: “President Trump has assembled a highly qualified and experienced law and order team dedicated to protecting Americans, holding criminals accountable, and delivering justice to victims. This work is being carried out seamlessly and with unity.”
He added: “Any attempt to sow division within this team is baseless and distracts from the real progress being made in restoring public safety and pursuing justice for all.” Bondi herself has said she has “every intention to stay and serve,” according to “Florida’s Voice” Assistant News Director Eric Daugherty, who cited Fox News as his source.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche also added on X: “I worked closely with [Patel] and [Bongino] on the joint FBI and DOJ memo regarding the Epstein Files. All of us signed off on the contents of the memo and the conclusions stated in the memo. The suggestion by anyone that there was any daylight between the FBI and DOJ leadership on this memo’s composition and release is patently false.”
