The future of Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino remains unclear due to the escalating repercussions following the Justice Department's choice to withhold any further records from its inquiries into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as confirmed by several sources knowledgeable about the situation.
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According to sources, Bongino has recently indicated to his allies that he might resign after several days of escalating outrage expressed publicly by President Donald Trump's most ardent supporters regarding a memo released earlier in the week. This memo stated that the FBI and DOJ intended to refrain from making any future public disclosures concerning their review of Epstein's case.
Bongino did not reply to multiple requests for comments from ABC News. The FBI chose not to provide any comments.
A significant portion of the criticism has been directed at remarks made by both Bongino and FBI Director Kash Patel over recent years, during which they have fueled conspiracy theories regarding Epstein's death.
In a 2023 episode of his podcast, Bongino informed his audience, "The Jeffrey Epstein narrative is significant ... Please do not allow this story to fade away," attributing blame to individuals in the "Washington swamp who are withholding the truth."
However, in the memo released on Monday by the DOJ and FBI, both agencies stated that their investigation concluded there was "no incriminating 'client list'" and "no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed high-profile individuals as part of his activities."
"One of our top priorities is to combat child exploitation and deliver justice to victims," the memo indicated. "Promoting baseless theories regarding Epstein does not serve either of these objectives."
According to sources, Bongino has recently voiced increasing disagreement with Attorney General Pam Bondi concerning the management of the announcement.
Earlier this week, Bongino engaged in a heated exchange with Bondi regarding her approach to the review of the Epstein files and the memo released on Monday, as reported by sources.
Nevertheless, in a post on X on Friday afternoon, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that he collaborated with Bongino and Patel to develop the memo.
"We all approved the contents and conclusions of the memo," Blanche remarked. "The implication by anyone that there was any discrepancy between the FBI and DOJ leadership regarding the creation and dissemination of this memo is completely untrue."
Sources informed ABC News that Bongino took a leave of absence on Friday, a decision that has sparked additional speculation about his future.
