Dan Bongino to leave his role as FBI deputy director
Earlier, Trump praised Bongino’s tenure, saying he “did a great job” and “wants to go back to his show.” Bongino, appointed by Trump in February, had previously built a large following through his podcast and media appearances. He also served as a New York City police officer and as a Secret Service agent assigned to protect former President Barack Obama.
Bongino’s appointment was controversial, as he had no prior experience with the FBI and the FBI Agents Association, representing roughly 14,000 current and former agents, had opposed his selection.
In his social media announcement, Bongino wrote: “I will be leaving my position with the FBI in January. I want to thank President Trump, AG [Pam] Bondi, and Director [Kash] Patel for the opportunity to serve with purpose. Most importantly, I want to thank you, my fellow Americans, for the privilege to serve you. God bless America, and all those who defend Her.”
Before joining the FBI, Bongino had promoted disinformation and conspiracy theories related to Trump’s false claims of winning the 2020 election and the January 6, 2021, pipe bomb investigation. He previously described the pipe bomb case as an “inside job” but prioritized the investigation after taking office, leading to the arrest of a man earlier this month who had no known government ties, nearly six years after the devices were discovered.
FBI Director Patel praised Bongino, saying he “served as the people's voice for transparency, and delivered major breakthroughs in long unsolved cases like the pipe bomb investigation. He not only completed his mission — he far exceeded it.” Bondi also commented that “Americans are safer” because of his service.
Bongino also shifted his stance on Jeffrey Epstein’s death. As a commentator, he had questioned whether Epstein took his own life in 2019, but in May said, “I have seen the whole file. He killed himself.” A July memo from the Justice Department and FBI confirmed Epstein’s death was a suicide and refuted claims about a client list, a finding that frustrated many Trump supporters.
According to reports, the memo prompted a contentious meeting between Bongino and Bondi.
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