Dan Bongino will leave his position as Deputy Director of the FBI in January
Dan Bongino has declared his intention to resign as FBI deputy director in January to resume his career in media.
Dan Bongino has declared that he will resign from his role as deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in January, marking the conclusion of a short yet closely monitored period at the agency.
On Wednesday, Bongino expressed his gratitude on X to US President Donald Trump, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Attorney General Pam Bondi for “the opportunity to serve with purpose.” He expressed appreciation to the American public, characterizing his role as an honor.
His decision comes after remarks made earlier in the day by President Trump, who praised Bongino for having “done a great job” at the FBI and expressed a desire for him to return to his podcast and media endeavors. Bongino was appointed to the position in February by Trump, representing a significant shift from tradition, as the role has typically been occupied by career FBI agents.
A former police officer in New York City and a US Secret Service agent who provided protection for President Barack Obama, Bongino later garnered a substantial audience as a conservative commentator and podcast host. The FBI Agents Association, representing approximately 14,000 current and former agents, expressed opposition to his appointment, pointing to his lack of prior experience within the bureau.
Prior to his tenure with the FBI, Bongino had endorsed misinformation and conspiracy theories related to Trump’s unfounded assertion of victory in the 2020 presidential election, along with the inquiry into the pipe bombs found outside the headquarters of the Republican and Democratic parties on January 6, 2021. He had earlier characterized the pipe bomb case as a “inside job.”
Upon taking office, Bongino prioritized the long-running investigation, echoing Attorney General Bondi’s perspective that the case had lost momentum. This month, authorities apprehended a suspect lacking any known connections to the government, almost six years following the discovery of the devices. FBI Director Patel acknowledged Bongino’s efforts in advocating for transparency and advancement, noting that he had achieved “major breakthroughs” in cases that had long remained unsolved.
Bongino has also updated his public position regarding the 2019 death of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Bongino, who had previously expressed doubts about Epstein’s death being a suicide, stated in May that after reviewing the complete file, he had come to the conclusion that Epstein took his own life. A joint memo from the justice department and FBI released in July later supported this position, stating that Epstein took his own life and that no “client list” was found.
The memo provoked anger among certain supporters of Trump who dismissed its conclusions, and US media indicated that it led to a heated confrontation between Bongino and Attorney General Bondi. Amid the ongoing debate, Bondi stated on Wednesday that “Americans are safer” due to Bongino’s tenure at the FBI.
