Email Shows Bongino Was Briefed on Epstein Redactions Day 2, Undercutting His Public Claims
WASHINGTON, D.C. — FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino is facing fresh scrutiny after the release of an internal email showing he was briefed on the Trump administration’s sweeping redactions of Jeffrey Epstein-related files just one day after taking office.
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The email, first reported by The Daily Beast, contradicts the impression that Bongino was not looped into the redaction process until much later. According to the documents, Bongino received forwarded internal guidance on March 18 — his second day on the job — related to the bureau’s “Special Redaction Project,” an accelerated effort that cost nearly $1 million in overtime as agents scrubbed sensitive records tied to the Epstein case.
Before joining the FBI, Bongino spent years as a MAGA-aligned commentator calling for the full, unredacted release of government files on Epstein. But inside the administration, Bongino’s tone shifted. In the months after taking office, he publicly backed the official line that Epstein’s death was a suicide and dismissed the idea of an “incriminating client list,” a stance that clashed with Attorney General Pam Bondi and fueled internal disagreements over transparency.
The newly surfaced email has added pressure on Bongino, who publicly insisted the message was sent at his request so he could understand what work had been done before he arrived. He said the release of the email is “good for transparency,” but he did not address what redactions he agreed with or whether he approved any himself.
The controversy lands as the FBI continues to face public questions about how much material was withheld, why the redaction project was accelerated, and what discrepancies remain between internal communications and public statements by senior officials.
The Justice Department has not commented on whether further disclosures will be made under the new Epstein Files Transparency Act.