FBI Director Kash Patel issued a statement on social media on Saturday following reports of internal division and chaos over the Justice Department’s memo last week announcing it was moving on from the Jeffrey Epstein case.
In an X post, Patel confirmed he’s not going anywhere after rumors swirled that he might resign if Deputy Director Dan Bongino stepped down over disagreements with how Attorney General Pam Bondi handled the situation.
Patel posted on X, “The conspiracy theories just aren’t true, never have been. It’s an honor to serve the President of the United States Donald Trump — and I’ll continue to do so for as long as he calls on me.”
His post came after reports on Friday suggested that he could leave the administration if Bongino quit, following a reported clash between Bongino andBondi over alleged Epstein files.
White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Harrison Fields issued a statement as well, pushing back on the speculation.
“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,” Fields said. “This work is being carried out seamlessly and with unity.”
“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,” he added.
The internal tension came after a DOJ memo was leaked to the press, stating that Epstein had killed himself in jail in 2019. It also concluded there was “no incriminating client list,” and no evidence Epstein was blackmailing elites.
The reports about Bongino possibly exiting over the Epstein case appear more credible. Laura Loomer first brought the issue to light, and multiple outlets have confirmed it.
According to Fox News, Bongino got into a heated exchange with Bondi during a meeting with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and ended up walking out.