&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Sounds like you’re in the list’: MAGA turns on Trump's FBI chief Kash Patel over Epstein files")
FBI Director Kash Patel is facing sharp criticism from Trump’s own supporters after dismissing rumours surrounding Jeffrey Epstein’s death. Patel denied claims of a cover-up and rejected the idea that he planned to resign over the controversy. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), he said, “The conspiracy theories just aren’t true, never have been. It’s an honour to serve the President of the United States, and I’ll continue to do so for as long as he calls on me.”
Patel also added that there was no “smoking gun” in the Epstein files, pushing back against long-standing conspiracy theories about a secret client list linked to the disgraced financier.
Internal tensions rise inside Trump’s FBI team
Patel’s comments followed reports of growing tensions between him, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, and Attorney General Pam Bondi. According to The New York Times, Bongino clashed with Bondi during a meeting at the White House last week and later threatened to resign. “It’s me or her. She goes or I go,” Bongino reportedly told colleagues, according to Axios.
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The disagreement stemmed from Bondi’s failure to deliver more documents linked to the Epstein case. Bongino was said to be frustrated with the lack of progress and transparency, fuelling frustration among MAGA supporters already suspicious of the FBI’s handling of the files.
MAGA supporters accuse Patel of hiding Epstein documents
Patel’s public denial only added fuel to the fire. A number of right-wing commentators lashed out on social media, accusing him of being part of a cover-up or even being named in the documents himself. “Sounds like you might be in the files, Kash,” wrote the account Polling USA. “Release the Epstein files!” posted Republicans Against Trump, referencing Patel’s own previous comments that the files were under the “direct control of the FBI director.”
Right-wing lawyer Robert Barnes also criticised Patel, posting: “It was YOU who said Bill Gates is in #EpsteinFiles & now YOU are hiding those files. Inexcusable!”
Trump calls for focus on ‘real priorities’
Donald Trump stepped in on Saturday in an attempt to ease the tension. In a post on Truth Social, he appeared to back Patel while calling on his base to focus their energy on Democrat corruption and voter fraud instead of conspiracy theories.
“We are about to achieve more in 6 months than any other Administration has achieved in over 100 years… Kash Patel, and the FBI, must be focused on investigating Voter Fraud, Political Corruption, ActBlue, The Rigged and Stolen Election of 2020… instead of spending month after month looking at nothing but the same old, Radical Left inspired Documents on Jeffrey Epstein,” Trump wrote. He also defended Bondi, adding: “LET PAM BONDI DO HER JOB, SHE’S GREAT!”
What next for the FBI and the Epstein files?
So far, neither Bondi nor Bongino has issued any public comment. The FBI also did not respond to media requests for a statement. Meanwhile, the internal fallout has revealed growing cracks within Trump’s team, especially as pressure from the MAGA base intensifies.
