WORLD
Kash Patel, the director of the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation, may consider quitting his coveted position, according to a report. The Indian-origin FBI chief may take the step in solidarity with Deputy Director Dan Bongino. Read on to know more on this.
Kash Patel, the director of the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), may consider quitting his coveted position, according to a report. The Indian-origin FBI chief may take the step in solidarity with Deputy Director Dan Bongino, who had a fallout with Attorney General Pam Bondi. The disagreements are based on the Department of Justice's (DOJ) investigation into disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein's death in 2019. Tensions hit the roof earlier this week during a dispute between Bongino and Bondi. The clash pertains to President Donald Trump-led administration's handling of the Epstein case, including a "review" of a so-called client list which officials have said never existed. In the wake of the altercation, Bongino is said to be considering resignation, just four months into the job.
A stage beyond repair
A source told The New York Post, "I don't think Dan comes back if Pam stays," adding that ties between the two officials had reached a stage beyond repair. An official from the Justice Department further told the publication that Patel, who is known to be closely aligned with Bongino, might follow suit. Kash and Dan have always been aligned and it's unclear what would happen in that situation, but, you know, both of them have fought for transparency, and in a world where that's being stifled, it wouldn't be shocking to see them stand up for that," the official added.
Background of the fallout
The fallout comes after the DOJ's conclusion of its review into Epstein's death, which officially ruled it as suicide. The review dismissed the notion of a "client list" and found no reliable evidence of blackmail involving high-profile individuals as Bondi reiterated this in a cabinet meeting earlier in the month. "In February, I did an interview on Fox, and it's been getting a lot of attention because I said, I was asked a question about the client list, and my response was, 'it's sitting on my desk to be reviewed,' meaning the (Epstein) file along with the JFK and MLK files as well." Some people in the federal administration believe President Trump is hesitant to remove Bondi from her position.