Bongino Back At FBI As Trump Admin Prepares To Release More On Epstein
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino has resumed his duties following a disagreement with Attorney General Pam Bondi regarding the management of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, which led him to contemplate resigning.
According to multiple sources, Bongino returned to his position after taking several personal days nearly two weeks ago; however, his future with the agency remains uncertain after the intense discussion with Bondi.
This week, the FBI and DOJ provided a document summarizing a review of the case against Epstein, who passed away in his Manhattan prison cell on August 10, 2019.
The management of the Epstein files has created a divide among Trump’s MAGA supporters, with some expressing support for Bongino had he chosen to resign in protest of the case’s purported lack of transparency.
Certain MAGA supporters have called for Bondi, who stated in a February Fox News interview that Epstein’s client list was on her desk “to be reviewed,” to be removed from the administration instead. Trump has suggested that a more measured approach should be taken.
Prior to joining the Trump administration, Bongino had long suspected that there was more to the Epstein case than what authorities were disclosing.
The DOJ is advocating for the unsealing of long-secret grand jury transcripts from the Epstein case, citing “intense public interest” in the high-profile sex trafficking investigation, as directed by Bondi.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche submitted the motion in Manhattan federal court, urging a judge to release transcripts from Epstein’s 2019 grand jury proceedings and the prosecution of Epstein’s convicted associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, as part of the department’s renewed commitment to transparency.
Earlier this month, the DOJ and FBI published a memorandum detailing an “exhaustive review” of their Epstein investigation files. This internal evaluation sought to determine whether any evidence could support the prosecution of additional individuals but concluded that “no such evidence was uncovered” against any uncharged third parties.
Since the memo was released on July 6, authorities believe that public interest in its findings has remained significant.
While the department continues to endorse the memo’s conclusions, the filing emphasizes that “transparency for the American public is of the utmost importance to this Administration.” In light of the considerable public interest, the DOJ has informed the court that it is preparing to unseal the underlying grand jury transcripts to provide clarity regarding its investigation into the Epstein case.
The DOJ has indicated that it will work with prosecutors to redact all victim names and personal identifying information from the transcripts prior to their release.
On July 2, 2019, a New York grand jury indicted Epstein, 66, on charges of sex trafficking. Just over a month later, on August 10, 2019, he took his own life in his detention cell while awaiting trial, resulting in the dismissal of the case.
Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s long-time associate, was charged by a grand jury in 2020 with multiple counts of trafficking and coercing minors.
In December 2021, a grand jury found her guilty and sentenced her to 20 years in prison. Maxwell’s convictions were upheld on appeal in 2024, and she has requested the United States Supreme Court to review her case.
Grand jury hearings are typically kept confidential by law, or as the motion states, “a tradition of law that proceedings before a grand jury shall generally remain secret.” However, the filing recognizes that this tradition “is not absolute.”
Federal courts have acknowledged “certain ‘special circumstances’” under which the publication of grand jury documents is allowed despite the usual restrictions, particularly when a case holds significant public or historical importance.
“Public officials, legislators, commentators, and everyday citizens continue to exhibit significant interest and concern regarding the Epstein case,” the motion observes.
The motion highlights that a judge in Florida mandated the release of certain grand jury records related to Epstein last year, after determining that the financier was “the most notorious pedophile in American history” and that the details of Epstein’s case “narrate a story of national shame.”
According to the Department of Justice, the sealed grand jury transcripts represent “essential elements of a pivotal moment in our nation’s history,” and “the period for the public to speculate about their contents should come to a close.”