FBI's Patel, Bongino Fuel Epstein Conspiracies; No New Info

President Donald Trump commended FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino despite criticism from his supporters over unfulfilled promises regarding Jeffrey Epstein. Trump stated on Monday on Truth Social that the FBI, under Patel and Bongino, is focusing on core operations and encouraged them to continue their work. This came after the Justice Department and FBI announced on Monday that no new information on Epstein would be disclosed, contradicting earlier suggestions by Patel and Bongino about withheld information.

Bongino, in a 2023 podcast, emphasized the significance of the Epstein case and questioned the secrecy surrounding it. He also propagated a theory that Epstein had ties to Middle Eastern intelligence agencies, suggesting they may have used compromising information to influence American figures who were connected to Epstein.

In a cryptic post in April, Bongino hinted at undisclosed events, without specifying further details. Patel, in a conversation with podcaster Benny Johnson in December 2023, implied that Congress was withholding the Epstein list due to the identities of individuals on it, insinuating that powerful figures like Bill Gates were influencing the situation.

Before the 2016 election, Patel hinted that Trump might release the Epstein list. However, the FBI and Justice Department confirmed on Monday that there would be no additional information released about Epstein's case, stating that Epstein died by suicide in 2019 and that there is no official list of his clients.

Tom Fitton from Judicial Watch criticized the FBI and Justice Department for their handling of the case, questioning the leadership within these agencies. The White House clarified earlier statements by Attorney General Pam Bondi, explaining that she was referring to government documents as a whole, not specifically a list of Epstein's clients.

The Trump administration faced backlash for failing to deliver on promises to reveal new details about Epstein, with Bongino and Patel supporting the official account of Epstein's death and dismissing conspiracy theories.