FBI Meltdown: Dan Bongino Explodes at Rep. Thomas Massie Over Alleged J6 Pipe Bomber Cover-Up

Tensions flared Thursday morning between Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino over the identity of the January 6, 2021, pipe bomber and the handling of the FBI’s investigation, following a whistleblower’s allegations and a high-profile report.

At 8:07 a.m. EST on November 13, 2025, the controversy reached a boiling point with Bongino’s scathing response on X to Massie’s posting of a chilling letter from an attorney representing the whistleblower, accusing the FBI of potential retaliation.

The exchange has ignited a public feud, with Massie questioning the bureau’s actions and Bongino defending his leadership while criticizing the congressman’s approach.

The rift began to unfold earlier this week with a groundbreaking report from The Blaze investigative journalist Steve Baker, who on November 8 identified former U.S. Capitol Police officer Shauni Kerkhoff as the alleged J6 pipe bomber.

“The FBI put us one door away from the pipe bomber within days of January 6, and we were deliberately pulled away for no logical or logically investigative reason,” Baker quoted former FBI Special Agent Kyle Seraphin, whose explosive claims suggest a cover-up.

Baker’s report, based on a computer program’s analysis of Kerkhoff's gait and insider tips about her role in dignitary protection, suggested the FBI had evidence linking her to the incident but failed to act.

Kerkhoff, who testified in a January 6 trial that she left the Capitol Police on good terms before the incident, has yet to be officially charged, and the FBI has remained silent on the identification for days.

The controversy deepened with a whistleblower’s disclosure, detailed in a letter dated November 12, 2025, from the whistleblower's attorney, Kurt Siuzdak, to congressional leaders, including Massie.

The senior FBI special agent revealed, “The WFO request was ‘unusual’ because it was transmitted more than a year after the FBI had begun the investigation, and it raises questions about the progress and extent of the FBI’s investigation.”

The letter, obtained by the House Judiciary Committee, hinted at retaliation fears, invoking federal protections under 5 CFR Part 27.

Massie thrust this into the spotlight on Wednesday at 7:17 p.m. EST, tweeting, "I received this troubling letter today from the attorney representing the most recent FBI whistleblower regarding the J6 pipe bomb investigation. Just a reminder to @FBIDirectorKash, in case this letter is warranted, federal law prevents retaliation against whistleblowers."

Hours later, at 1:07 p.m. EST, Bongino shot back, accusing Massie of misrepresentation.

"When Director Patel and I entered on duty in our leadership positions in the FBI we had our hands full, but we were happy to be part of the President’s team, and we still are," he wrote, claimng the bureau is endeavored in a Herculean effort to reinvestigate with "new personnel," "increased investigative resources," and a "dramatically increased public award."

Bongino attached call logs to the tweet —10 minutes at 8 a.m. EST and 3 seconds at 7:30 p.m. EST Wednesday—showcasing that he offered Massie a briefing, which went unanswered.

"Despite this, you continue to imply that the Director and I are targeting investigators in the case. This is disgusting, even by the low standards many have for politicians," Bongino raged, branding Massie "a dog barking behind a fence."

He vowed, "We will avail them of all the whistleblower resources they need to disclose ANY evidence of malfeasance in the prior administration."

Bongino's response unleashed a torrent of reactions, with Joe Oltmann firing a salvo at 11:03 p.m. est, accusing Bongino of covering up the pipe bomber’s identity and gaslighting the public.

"You are lying Dan. The problem is everyone is talking. You actively called The Blaze to have Steve Baker fired so the story would not come out. You covered up the pipe bomber and now you are lying through your teeth," Otman scathed.

Meanwhile, Seraphin finds himself entangled in a separate legal maelstrom—sued for $5 million by Kash Patel’s girlfriend, country music singer Alexis Wilkins, alongside Rift TV owner and conservative commentator Elijah Schaffer.

Seraphin, on his talk show The Kyle Seraphin Show, reported on rumors that Wilkins, 26, is a Mossad honeypot manipulating Patel, 45, while Schaffer retweeted a photo of Wilkins and Patel on a tweet amplifying the claim.

Patel’s personal attorney, Jesse R. Binnall —a seasoned litigator and founder of Binnall Law Group based at 717 King Street, Suite 200, Alexandria, VA 22314, is representing Wilkins in the case.

Seraphin has raised eyebrows, suggesting Patel might be orchestrating these lawsuits indirectly to suppress speculation about Wilkins.

He pointed to the shared address of Binnall Law Group and The Kash Foundation, hinting at a coordinated effort to silence critics amid the J6 pipe bomber saga, though he provided no definitive proof of Patel’s direct involvement.

Curiously, with no time allocated to tackle the pipe bomb case—suspected by some to be a multi-government ploy to frame President Trump and his supporters with acts of terror —resources appear ample to quash rumors about Wilkins.

The feud shows no signs of abating, with both sides digging in as the investigation’s credibility hangs in the balance.