President Trump on Sunday expressed confidence in deputy FBI director Dan Bongino, regardless of the backlash over the Trump administration’s dealing with of the information associated to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Bongino has been on the middle of the inner preventing over the Epstein state of affairs, with a supply acquainted confirming to The Hill that the deputy director is livid over how the paperwork have been dealt with and has clashed with Justice Division leaders.
Throughout a press gaggle at Joint Base Andrews on Sunday night, Trump was requested if Bongino, beforehand a far-right podcaster, was nonetheless the deputy FBI director, and whether or not they had spoken not too long ago.
“Oh I believe so. I did, I spoke to him as we speak. Dan Bongino, superb man. I’ve identified him a very long time. I’ve performed his present many many occasions. He sounded terrific, really. No, I believe he is in good condition,” Trump stated.
The Justice Division and FBI issued a joint memo final week that sought to counter claims about Epstein which have lengthy been promoted by conservative media figures together with Bongino and FBI director Kash Patel.
The memo stated Epstein, a convicted baby intercourse trafficker, didn’t have a shopper listing and confirmed he died by suicide in his New York Metropolis jail cell in 2019. The listing of high-profile purchasers has been a longtime fixation on the suitable, and hopes for its launch have been fueled by Legal professional Common Pam Bondi saying earlier this yr it was on her desk for overview.
Axios first reported that Bongino had fought with Bondi because the memo was launched. On Friday, a number of information shops reported Bongino was not at work Friday and was mulling whether or not to resign from his place.
The White Home, in the meantime, referred to as any indications of divisions “baseless.”
“President Trump has assembled a extremely certified and skilled legislation and order group devoted to defending People, holding criminals accountable, and delivering justice to victims,” White Home spokesperson Harrison Fields stated in a press release.
“This work is being carried out seamlessly and with unity. Any try to sow division inside this group is baseless and distracts from the actual progress being made in restoring public security and pursuing justice for all.”