Trump tells Bondi to 'buck up' as Epstein files fallout rattles White House

The Epstein files fallout continues to ripple through the White House, with Attorney General Pam Bondi alleging that FBI Director Kash Patel and other bureau leaders were leaking details of internal disputes to undermine her work, people familiar with the discussions described to the Wall Street Journal said. Bondi reportedly told White House aides that Patel and other FBI leaders were “out to get” her. After Bondi raised concerns with President Donald Trump about criticisms surrounding the DOJ and FBI’s handling of the Epstein files, Trump told her to “buck up.” Other administration officials encouraged Bondi to stop scrolling social media as the controversy intensified.

The episode underscored how deeply the Epstein dossier has saturated the administration, a matter Trump aides underestimated in its political reach among his supporters. More than two months after the joint DOJ-FBI memo that attempted to lay the matter to rest, Americans remain hungry for more clarity. Patel faced back-to-back interrogations in Senate and House FBI oversight hearings about why he did not release more names tied to Epstein’s child sex trafficking investigation. Even Republicans told the FBI director that his answers would not be sufficient for the American people.

Bondi’s chief of staff, Chad Mizelle, is slated to leave his post on October 3, a move that would remove a critical liaison between the DOJ and the West Wing. The DOJ did not respond to requests for comment about Mizelle’s departure. Meanwhile, FBI insiders cited in the Daily Mail say co-Deputy Director Dan Bongino has one foot out the door and could depart the bureau by year’s end. Bondi had earlier this month named former Missouri attorney general Andrew Bailey to serve as Bongino’s co-deputy in an unconventional two-deputy setup. Officially, the DOJ and White House have downplayed the prospect that Bailey is being groomed for higher office.

Before Patel and Bongino ascended to top FBI roles, both were outspoken figures in conservative media who previously pushed theories about Epstein’s connections to Democratic figures and debated whether Epstein’s 2019 jail death was suicide or murder. The current crisis is widely seen as a product of the administration’s decision to appoint FBI leadership openly inclined to pursue broad disclosures tied to the Epstein files. At a September hearing, Patel insisted that the FBI has no evidence that Epstein trafficked girls for anyone other than himself, a line that drew fresh scrutiny from lawmakers seeking more accountability. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., pressed Patel on the issue, telling him the disclosure debate “is not going to go away.”

Bondi’s frustrations and Trump’s reaction reflect a broader tension within the White House as MAGA allies contended with a crisis they believed would fade. Trump aides have tried to calm the situation by rallying influencers and allies to reiterate that the Epstein case remains complex and ongoing. Vice President JD Vance spoke with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, and the White House reportedly relied on Laura Loomer to galvanize calls for Bondi’s firing—though those efforts produced limited relief. The episodes illustrate a broader pattern: a leadership team tied to the Epstein files that has made public airing of internal disputes a political flashpoint, even as lawmakers demand more names and greater transparency.

In the weeks since the scandal first erupted, Trump has acknowledged the difficulty of the topic for his base and for his presidency, while insisting the focus should move toward accountability. The ongoing oversight hearings and the possibility of further leadership changes at the FBI indicate the matter is far from settled. The administration’s challenge now is to manage both the legal questions and the political dynamics, balancing public demand for information with internal security considerations and the sensitivities of a presidency navigating one of its most scrutinized compliance episodes in recent memory.