FBI's Dan Bongino stays home from work amid clash over Epstein probe

A Justice Department review of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation has sparked a clash between Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, fueling an atmosphere of uncertainty and recrimination at the department, sources familiar with the matter told CBS News.

Bongino did not show up to work on Friday, according to the sources. One FBI source said Bongino's absence has been a "pressing issue" for the bureau on Friday.

The conflict follows days of fallout over a Justice Department and FBI review of the Epstein probe, which found the disgraced financier died by suicide and there was no "client list" or evidence he blackmailed prominent figures, according to a memo detailing the findings shared with CBS News. Some members of President Trump's base found the review unconvincing.

Sources said in a Wednesday meeting at the White House, Bondi and Bongino got into a confrontation over the public rollout of the Epstein review. Also in the meeting was White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. The meeting was first reported by Axios.

Two sources told CBS News that Bongino is weighing whether to resign from his role as a result of the Epstein fallout. CBS News has reached out to Bongino directly for comment.

One source familiar with the meeting said that Mr. Trump hasn't lost confidence in anyone but there's some frustration at the White House over how Bongino handled the Epstein fallout. "He's certainly not helping," the source said.

White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said, "Any attempt to sow division within this team is baseless and distracts from the real progress being made in restoring public safety and pursuing justice for all."

"President Trump has assembled a highly qualified and experienced law and order team dedicated to protecting Americans, holding criminals accountable, and delivering justice to victims. This work is being carried out seamlessly and with unity," Fields said.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote on X that both the FBI and the Justice Department signed off on the memo, and "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."

The Trump administration's review concluded that Epstein died by suicide while in custody at a Manhattan detention facility in August 2019. Epstein was facing federal sex trafficking charges, and his death was subsequently investigated by the Justice Department's internal watchdog and the FBI.

The Justice Department and FBI said in this week's memo that video footage reviewed by bureau investigators — and made available to the public — confirmed that Epstein was locked in his cell and nobody entered the unit where he was housed at the time of his death.

Investigators also "did not uncover evidence that could predicate any investigation against uncharged third parties," according to the memo.

"This systematic review revealed no incriminating 'client list.' There was also no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions," the Justice Department and FBI said in their two-page document detailing the conclusions.

Files related to Epstein's case, as well as the circumstances surrounding his death, have been the subject of conspiracy theories for years. Speculation online has included allegations that the federal government was concealing information to shield powerful and prominent figures who were allegedly named in case records.

This week's review — which largely dismissed those theories — sparked frustration among some pro-Trump influencers and calls to release more information about the case. And the video of Epstein's jail drew questions because one minute appeared to be missing from the footage. Bondi said the jail's antiquated security cameras cut off for one minute every night.

Bondi and FBI leaders had pledged to release information about Epstein after Mr. Trump returned to the White House earlier this year.

While Bondi suggested during a Fox News interview in February that a "client list" was sitting on her desk, the purported document never materialized. Bondi later told reporters she meant that Epstein-related files were sitting on her desk more generally.

In February, a group of 15 right-wing social media influencers went to the White House and were given binders labeled "The Epstein Files: Phase 1." The influencers said they received the binders from Bondi during a meeting that Mr. Trump, FBI Director Kash Patel and Vice President JD Vance also attended. But some influencers said the binders contained little new information.