Far-right influencer Laura Loomer called for Trump to fire Bondi over the issue, labelling her “an embarrassment”.
But on Saturday, Trump came to the defence of his attorney general, suggesting that the so-called “Epstein Files” were a hoax perpetrated by the Democratic Party for political gain, without specifying what benefits they hoped to attain.
He struck an exasperated tone in his admonishment of his supporters.
“For years, it’s Epstein, over and over again,” he said. “Let’s … not waste Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about.”
The US president called for Patel and Bondi to instead focus on what he terms “The Rigged and Stolen Election of 2020”, which Trump lost to Joe Biden.
The Republican has repeatedly perpetuated unfounded conspiracy theories about his loss being due to fraud.
He called for the FBI to be allowed to focus on that investigation: “Instead of spending month after month looking at nothing but the same old, Radical Left inspired Documents on Jeffrey Epstein. LET PAM BONDI DO HER JOB – SHE’S GREAT!”
Trump, who appears in at least one decades-old video alongside Epstein at a party, has denied allegations that he was named in the files or had any direct connection to the financier.
“The conspiracy theories just aren’t true, never have been,” said FBI Director Patel on Saturday, hours before Trump’s social media post.
Not everyone, however, seemed to be on the same page.
US media reported that Dan Bongino – an influential right-wing podcast host whom Trump appointed FBI deputy director – had threatened to resign over the administration’s handling of the issue.
