Trump official downplays Epstein redaction email: 'Glad these are available'

Dan Bongino once made a name for himself as a MAGA-aligned commentator and podcaster, one who was outspoken about the need to disclose files related to sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Now, as deputy director of the FBI, he is under fire over his knowledge of he massive effort to redact the files, the Daily Beast reported.

Bongino joined the FBI as deputy director under Kash Patel back in May. At the time, he claimed that the Trump administration's slow-walk of the Epstein files was part of an effort to protect the victims of the deceased financier and underage sex trafficker. Since then, the Daily Beast noted, he had gone silent on the subject.

Over the weekend, Bloomberg published a report detailing the FBI's massive effort to comb through and redact large parts of the government's trove of files related to the Department of Justice Epstein investigations. Part of this report included internal FBI emails showing that the Bureau made Bongino aware of the redaction project as early as the day after he became deputy director.

Following a wave of renewed scrutiny against him and his potential hand in the redactions, Bongino took to X to try and downplay the email, claiming that it was actually from just before he started at the FBI.

“Folks, I entered on duty on March 17th. The emails in the chain you see forwarded to me, at my request, were sent before I began in my position,” Bongino wrote. “I wanted to review what have (sic) been done before I entered on duty. It was a priority and, as you can see, they responded immediately. I’m glad that these emails are available for your review.”

Bloomberg's report found that FBI officials called in over 1,000 agents to help with the redaction efforts, in order to prepare them for potential release to the public. The administration's resistance to disclosing the files and reports of these redactions added fuel to the longstanding allegations that they could potentially implicate President Donald Trump, once a close friend of Epstein, in his crimes.

Prior reports from CNN claimed that Bongino was "enraged" by the DOJ's handling of the Epstein files, particularly a statement from July in which Attorney General Pam Bondi insisted that nothing in the files warranted new charges against third-parties and that there was no client list detailing the individuals Epstein trafficked underage girls for. CNN reported that Bongino took to skipping work and threatened to resign in protest of the DOJ's attempts to downplay the files.