DOJ Dismisses Rumors of Bondi-Bongino Rift Amid Epstein File Backlash
The Department of Justice under President Donald J. Trump is pushing back against reports of internal strife between Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino over the explosive handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case files.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a statement Friday, denying rumors of a fracture within the DOJ and FBI after conservative investigative reporter Laura Loomer claimed Bongino had taken the day off due to frustration with Bondi’s alleged suppression of Epstein-related information.
“Source tells me Dan Bongino is taking the day off today from his job as Deputy Director of the FBI, and there’s now speculation on whether or not he will return to his job at the [FBI] over his disgust with Blondi’s lack of transparency and handling of the Epstein files,” Loomer posted on X.
Major outlets including Axios echoed Loomer's report, fueling public speculation that Bondi was stonewalling internal efforts to disclose Epstein’s potential blackmail operation and high-profile client connections.
But Blanche struck back hard, calling the narrative “patently false.”
“I worked closely with [Patel] and [Bongino] on the joint FBI and DOJ memo regarding the Epstein Files,” Blanche wrote on X. “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.”
Loomer wasn’t convinced.
“My sources tell me that the FBI wanted to release more information about Jeffrey Epstein, and Pam Blondi [Bondi] and her DOJ said NO,” she posted. “This has caused tension between Blondi, Kash, and Bongino. Asking for transparency isn’t difficult.”
One particularly thorny issue for the DOJ is Bondi’s previous claim that she possessed a trove of Epstein evidence, including alleged client names and video footage. Her abrupt reversal this week—claiming no such files exist—has drawn the ire of conservatives who had trusted her initial assertions.
Despite criticism from some within the Trump movement, a senior White House official told Axios that President Trump continues to stand by his attorney general.
“President Trump loves Pam and thinks she’s great,” the official stated.
As the DOJ tries to douse the flames, transparency efforts are gaining traction elsewhere. In a surprising move, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) quietly introduced an amendment to the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday to “retain, preserve, and compile” all records tied to Epstein’s case. The amendment passed unanimously, according to Scripps News.
“The goal is transparency,” Van Hollen told Scripps. “All the documents [should] be preserved. And second, it requires that they present a detailed report.”
When asked about suspicions of a cover-up, Van Hollen responded cautiously:
“I just want to get the facts. My view is that we should just have all the facts laid out so the public can have confidence.”
It remains to be seen whether the amendment will survive the legislative process or receive President Trump’s signature should it reach his desk.
Meanwhile, new details continue to emerge about Epstein’s final moments. In a chilling revelation, journalist Michael Wolff said he may have received the last known message from Epstein before his death.
“I believe that I got the last message from him before he died,” Wolff said on The Daily Beast Podcast. “And this came through one of his lawyers on a Friday evening. He died on Saturday morning.”
The message? According to Wolff, Epstein wrote: “still hanging around.”
While official statements from the DOJ try to reassure the public, the conservative base isn’t letting go of its demand for full transparency. If there’s more to the Epstein saga, Americans want answers—and many believe they’re not getting them.