James Dennehy, the assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York field office, has resigned under pressure, marking a significant development within the bureau. His resignation comes after his office was discovered concealing thousands of documents related to Jeffery Epstein.
In an email obtained by NBC, Dennehy stated: “Late Friday, I was informed that I needed to put my retirement papers in today, which I just did. I was not given a reason for this decision.”
Following Dennehy’s resignation, AG Pam Bondi announced that the individual involved in withholding evidence on the Epstein case “will not be working for us anymore.”
Dennehy’s departure follows a series of internal conflicts within the FBI under the Trump administration. He had previously resisted a Justice Department request to provide a list of agents involved in politically sensitive investigations, including those related to the January 6 Capitol riot.
In an email to his staff, Dennehy wrote, “Today, we find ourselves in the middle of a battle of our own as good people are being walked out of the FBI. And others are being targeted because they did their jobs in accordance with the law and FBI policy.”
This incident is part of a broader pattern of personnel changes within the FBI. The Trump administration has appointed Kash Patel as the new FBI director and Dan Bongino as deputy director, moves that have been met with both support and criticism.
Some extremists targeted by the FBI have expressed approval of Patel’s appointment, hoping it will halt FBI actions against them. However, experts warn that such leadership changes could weaken efforts to confront far-right extremism, potentially increasing the threat of white supremacist terrorism.
Dennehy’s forced resignation underscores the ongoing tensions between the FBI and the current administration, reflecting the challenges the bureau faces in maintaining its independence amid political pressures.
