Kash Patel and Dan Bongino celebrate FBI record on podcast while dodging Epstein controversy

FBI Director Kash Patel appeared on Dan Bongino’s podcast on February 18, 2026, in a public reunion with his former deputy, but the pair did not address the bureau’s ongoing review of Epstein-related records.¹

The podcast episode featured Patel and Bongino celebrating the FBI’s record, according to The Independent.¹ Bongino previously served as Patel’s deputy before Patel’s appointment as FBI director.¹

The two avoided discussion of Epstein-related scrutiny facing the bureau, despite the FBI’s active review process under federal transparency requirements.¹

FBI Review Under Transparency Law

The FBI announced in late January 2026 that it had begun reviewing Epstein-related records following the enactment of the Epstein Transparency Act. The law was signed in January 2026 after unanimous passage in both chambers of Congress.

The legislation requires federal agencies to conduct systematic reviews of files related to Jeffrey Epstein’s trafficking network, his associates, and any government interactions with him. Multiple agencies, including the CIA, remain under congressional pressure to release their Epstein-related materials.

Rep. Nancy Mace has called on the CIA to disclose its Epstein documents. The FBI’s role in the Epstein case has drawn scrutiny over what the bureau knew about his activities during his 2008 Florida plea deal and in the years before his 2019 arrest.

Epstein Case Background

Epstein died in federal custody in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, was convicted in December 2021 on charges related to recruiting and grooming underage girls for abuse.

Court documents unsealed in recent years have revealed extensive details about Epstein’s network of associates and his international travel patterns. The FBI has faced questions about its investigation timeline and what information it possessed about Epstein’s activities before his final arrest.

The transparency law mandates that federal agencies review decades of files, including investigative records, correspondence, and any documentation of official contacts with Epstein or his associates. The FBI’s review process is ongoing as the bureau works to comply with the disclosure requirements established by Congress.

References

1. The Independent (US) — “Kash Patel and Dan Bongino celebrate FBI record on podcast while dodging Epstein controversy”