Epstein fallout deepens: FBU deputy chief Bongino skips work after White House showdown with Bondi

United States Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Dan Bongino - File Photo

A bitter internal clash over the Trump administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files erupted this week, with FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino skipping work Friday following a heated confrontation at the White House with Attorney General Pam Bondi, Axios reported.

The dispute reportedly centres on a 10-hour surveillance video from outside Epstein’s prison cell, released by the administration to support its conclusion that Epstein died by suicide and was not murdered in his cell in 2019, as conspiracy theorists have long claimed.

At issue is what many online have dubbed the “missing minute” in the footage – a brief gap in the recording that reignited speculation among Trump’s MAGA base.

“The missing minute,” authorities say, stemmed from an old surveillance recording system that goes down each day at midnight to reset and record anew. It takes a minute for that process to occur, which effectively means that 60 seconds of every day aren’t recorded.

Bongino, a former Secret Service agent turned pro-Trump podcaster before joining the FBI, had previously promoted Epstein conspiracy theories. Axios says he personally found the video and described it as conclusive proof Epstein had not been murdered.

“Pam said her piece. Dan said his piece. It didn't end on friendly terms,” a source told Axios about the Wednesday meeting at the White House, which was also attended by FBI Director Kash Patel, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich.

Bongino did not show up to work Friday, prompting speculation that he had quit. However, officials confirmed to Axios that he is still on the job, though clearly frustrated.

One senior administration official said: “Bongino found the video with the missing minute. He vouched for it after a ‘thorough review,’ he said, and he thought this would end the matter. When that didn’t work, he lost his mind and ran out of DC.”

Trump's Department of Justice and the FBI said in a memo made public Sunday there is no evidence that the disgraced financier kept a "client list" or was blackmailing powerful figures.

They also dismissed the claim that Epstein was murdered in jail, confirming his death by suicide, and said they would not be releasing any more information on the probe.

It marked the first time Trump's officials had publicly scotched the stories -- pushed by numerous right-wing figures, notably including the FBI's top two officials, before Trump hired them.

The backlash was swift and brutal from his "Make America Great Again" movement -- who have long held as an article of faith that "Deep State" elites were protecting Epstein's most powerful associates in the Democratic Party and Hollywood.