【By Observer Net, Zhang Jingjuan】Former U.S. President Trump once loudly promised to reveal the truth behind the Epstein case, but the two-page memo released last week tried to hastily conclude this shocking sexual assault case that shocked the world. This approach not only attracted fierce criticism from Democratic figures, but also caused a backlash within the Republican Party, leading to cracks in the Trump camp.
According to CNN, on July 14, several senior officials of Trump arrived at work with a question in their minds: would FBI Deputy Director Bonnin appear at the office after not showing up on Friday?
Several hours later, two sources confirmed that Bonnin had returned to work, but his prospects for remaining as FBI Deputy Director seemed uncertain.
According to reports, Bonnin had previously had a heated argument with Attorney General Bondi (Pam Bondi) over the handling of the Epstein documents, and then cut off contact with most colleagues.
Source familiar with the situation said that no one in the Department of Justice leadership had spoken to Bonnin since the 9th. On that day, Bonnin had implied that he could not continue in his current position as long as Bondi was still in office.
According to sources who know the situation, this move enraged Trump. Throughout the weekend, he was angry at Bonnin and FBI Director Patel (Kash Patel). His anger was mainly directed at Bonnin, leading aides to expect that the deputy director would resign in the coming days.
However, sources said that Vice President Vance had been trying to mediate over the weekend, frequently answering calls from Patel, Bonnin, and Bondi.
The report said that although Bonnin told others he was considering resignation, it remained to be seen whether he would ultimately resign. Sources believe that his relationship with the White House is already difficult to maintain, and even if he does not resign now, some people inside the government think he will not hold the position for long.
On the 13th, when asked by reporters whether Bonnin was still the FBI Deputy Director, Trump said, "I think so," and added that he had talked to him.
He said, "Bonnin is a very good person. I have known him for a long time and have appeared on his show many times. Actually, he sounds great, and I think everything is fine with him."
At the same time, Patel stated publicly in a statement that he had no plans to resign. The report said this statement was made after someone informed him that Trump was extremely dissatisfied with how he handled the affairs.
Several people who know Trump's mind told CNN that Trump now wants to calm down the storm around Bonnin and control the subsequent impact of his government's handling of the Epstein documents.
A official said that Trump hopes this issue will be put aside rather than escalated further.
On Monday, White House spokesperson Fields (Harrison Fields) mentioned Bondi, Patel, and Bonnin in a statement, saying they were "a team of outstanding patriots committed to the rule of law" who are dedicated to making America safe again and restoring the fairness of the criminal justice system.

Photo of U.S. Attorney General Bondi (right) and FBI Deputy Director Bonnin
CNN pointed out that this conflict has created a rift between Trump and some of his most prominent MAGA (Make America Great Again) supporters. Supporters had hoped that the Trump administration would confirm their suspicions: a larger conspiracy involving Epstein and other elites was covered up by the government.
However, a memo released by the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI last week shattered these speculations. The memo stated that after a "thorough review," they found no evidence that the convicted sex offender Epstein extorted celebrities, kept a "client list," or had other documents worth public disclosure, and stated that Epstein's death was a suicide.
The two-page memo stated that no one related to the Epstein case would be charged, and that further disclosure of materials related to Epstein was "unappropriate and unnecessary."
This memo angered some Trump supporters. Because Bondi had earlier (in February) said on Fox News that a "client list" was on her desk waiting to be reviewed. However, she later said she meant just the documents related to the case.
The political news website Politico reported that the controversy over the Epstein documents shows that despite Trump's control over the Republicans, there are still discordant differences. At the same time, this controversy has pushed the MAGA movement to the edge of the most severe political division since Trump returned to the White House in January.
On Monday, Republican Congresswoman Greene (Marjorie Taylor Greene) called on the Trump administration to "increase transparency" and warned that this issue could trigger a strong backlash from the right wing of the party.
"For many people, this has crossed the line," Greene said.
Although Fox News host Watters avoided directly criticizing Trump, he still said, "It's terrible, absolutely stinking. The FBI spent decades investigating Epstein, and for years had the opportunity to access all his assets, yet still couldn't give us a clear answer? This isn't new. For years, the government has been keeping us in the dark."
According to reports, officials said that throughout the controversy over the Epstein memo, Trump has consistently stood by Bondi. He not only publicly defended Bondi, but also watched football games with her on the 12th, indicating that Bonnin's judgment of the situation was wrong.
A Department of Justice official told CNN that Bondi is in good shape, and her relationship with Trump remains as solid as ever.
According to insiders, although Bondi and Bonnin have tense relations, Bondi does not plan to fire Bonnin, and the final decision on whether he stays or leaves is up to Bonnin himself.
Before joining the FBI, Bonnin was a podcast host who often expressed opinions on controversial issues, including questioning the handling of the Epstein case. A source said that a federal bureau lawyer had concerns that Bonnin's outspokenness might one day affect his work in the bureau, as in the FBI, even officials caught in political storms usually need to be cautious in their words.
This article is an exclusive article from Observer Net. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.
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