President Trump has officially broken his silence on FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, whose employment was in question after he reportedly did not show up to work and expressed extreme frustration about Attorney General Pam Bondi’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case, with tensions continuing to rise over the unanswered questions about the Epstein files.
For background, President Trump spoke to reporters on July 13, 2025, about FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino after White House insiders speculated that Bongino may have quit after he reportedly took a day off from work after closing with Attorney General Pam Bondi over the Jeffrey Epstein files. The conflict left many Trump supporters conflicted and wondering who to support — Bondi or Bongino. However, President Trump told the press that Bongino is “a very good guy,” and also defended AG Bondi in a lengthy Truth Social post.
When asked whether Deputy Director Bongino was still on staff at the FBI, the president responded, “Oh, I think so. I did, I spoke to him today.” He added, “Dan Bongino [is] a very good guy, I’ve known him a long time. I’ve done his show many, many times, and he sounded terrific, actually. No, I think he’s in good shape.” Furthermore, an anonymous source told NewsNation that the deputy director returned to work on Monday, July 13, but described his situation as fluid.
Importantly, Deputy Director Bongino’s sudden absence from work came just a few days after the FBI released a memo stating that after a thorough review of the Epstein files, the agency concluded that there is no “incriminating ‘client list'” and was also “no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions.”
In response to the release of the memo, Deputy Director Bongino reportedly threatened to quit unless AG Bondi was fired. However, the president defended the attorney general in a July 13, 2025, Truth Social post, saying, “What’s going on with my ‘boys’ and, in some cases, ‘gals?’ They’re all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB!” He added, “We’re on one Team, MAGA, and I don’t like what’s happening.”
Continuing, the president said that rather than the Epstein files, the FBI “must be focused on investigating Voter Fraud, Political Corruption, ActBlue, The Rigged and Stolen Election of 2020, and arresting Thugs and Criminals, instead of spending month after month looking at nothing but the same old, Radical Left inspired Documents on Jeffrey Epstein.” He added, “LET PAM BONDI DO HER JOB — SHE’S GREAT!”
In addition, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche attempted to portray the FBI’s memo as having been supported by Bongino in a July 11, 2025, X post, writing, “worked closely with [FBI Director Kash Patel] and [FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino] on the joint FBI and DOJ memo regarding the Epstein Files.”
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Continuing, Deputy AG Blanche wrote, “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.” However, commenters on X were unsatisfied, with conservative commentator Mike Cernovich writing, “Please unseal the search warrants. Only DOJ can do this, and it can be done this afternoon.”
Watch President Trump speak to the press:
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