Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche sent some MAGA supporters into a tailspin on Friday after he defended a new memo released earlier this week about disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The Justice Department and FBI concluded on Monday that Epstein did not keep a “client list,” blackmail public figures or was murdered in his jail cell in 2019. Since the findings were made public, after being first reported by Axios the day prior, officials in President Donald Trump’s administration have been met with frustration from many in his base, who had pushed the administration to disclose documents related to the sex-trafficking case.
Since Trump started his second term, Attorney General Pam Bondi has pledged to release all of the files — and told Fox News in February that Epstein’s “client list” was “sitting on my desk right now to review.” The president himself, while on the 2024 campaign trail, said he would have “no problem” with releasing the documents if elected. FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino had also fueled speculation about the Epstein case before they were appointed as the agency’s top leaders.
Blanche, who is also Trump’s former criminal defense attorney, posted on X that he “worked closely” with Patel and Bongino on the memo, amid backlash from MAGA world.
“All of us signed off on the contents of the memo and the conclusions stated in the memo,” Blanche wrote.
“The suggestion by anyone that there was any daylight between the FBI and DOJ leadership on this memo’s composition and release is patently false,” he continued.
Blanche’s post was immediately called into question by many social media users — some who pointed to the fact that the memo was left unsigned.
Gunther Eagleman, a prominent MAGA influencer, slammed the memo as a “a HORRIBLE look” for the DOJ and FBI.
“Who leaked the DRAFT MEMO to Axios? Why are there no signatures, and why did it take hours for anyone in the admin to address it?” he asked, adding “These agencies, including you, are LYING.”
Far-right activist Laura Loomer echoed similar concerns about a lack of signatures, and blasted Bondi for “blowing up the Trump admin by concealing information, spending time on Fox News lying to MAGA base and by releasing contradictory statements.” She added that “Trump’s team needs to READ THE ROOM.”
“Blondi has been very DAMAGING to the admin and she has damaged public trust in the DOJ,” Loomer wrote, misspelling Bondi’s last name. “She is hurting President Trump and his staff/advisors. She lied on national TV and needs to be held accountable for harming the Trump admin and public trust.”
Loomer had alleged earlier on Friday that Patel and Bongino were “LIVID” with Bondi over the memo, citing one anonymous source.
“I’m told Kash and Bongino are furious with Blondi and the blowback she has caused them with her lack of transparency,” Loomer wrote on X, adding that they should call for her resignation.
One user called the Trump administration’s handling a “complete debacle from day 1,” writing “The memo is embarrassing and I’m not surprised you have come out to defend it.”
Another user, who self-identifies as a MAGA conservative, posted: “The way things have been handled, no one is ever going to believe you, and this will leave a black eye come midterms.”
“Release the Epstein Files NOW,” someone wrote, and a different user said, “So what? You ALL are LIARS!”
Blanche’s post comes as Axios reported that Bongino took a day off from work Friday after clashing with Bondi at the White House over the administration’s response to the Epstein files. Several sources also told CNN that he has told people that he is considering resigning amid the clash.
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