WASHINGTON — Dan Bongino, a former agent of the U.S. Secret Service, author of popular books, and a well-known conservative commentator with a successful podcast, has been appointed as the FBI’s deputy director.
President Donald Trump announced the decision on Sunday night via his Truth Social platform, expressing admiration for Bongino as “a man of incredible love and passion for our Country.” He labeled the appointment as “great news for Law Enforcement and American Justice.”
With Bongino’s appointment, two loyal supporters of Trump now hold significant positions at the FBI, raising concerns among Democrats regarding potential political bias and targeting of adversaries. Bongino will work alongside Kash Patel, the new FBI director, who was sworn in just days earlier and is expected to make significant changes within the bureau, such as relocating numerous employees away from its Washington, D.C. headquarters and refocusing on traditional crime-fighting initiatives.
Traditionally, the deputy director of the FBI is a career agent responsible for overseeing daily operations, yet both Bongino and Patel lack actual FBI experience, which has sparked debates over their qualifications, particularly as national security challenges intensify.
They step into leadership during a turbulent period for the FBI. Recently, the Justice Department has dismissed several high-ranking officials from the bureau and has controversially requested the names of thousands of agents involved in investigations stemming from the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Bongino previously worked in presidential security details for Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush before rising to prominence in conservative circles. He became a notable figure in the Make America Great Again movement, which propagated unproven claims of election fraud regarding the 2020 election, assertions that have been widely discredited, including by former Trump attorney general William Barr and various courts.
After Rush Limbaugh’s passing in 2021, Bongino took over his radio slot, continuing to build his profile in conservative media. His career began with the New York Police Department in the 1990s before progressing to the Secret Service. Over the past decade, he has made frequent appearances on Fox News and hosted a Saturday night show with the network until 2023. Currently, he maintains a popular podcast, The Dan Bongino Show, noted for its substantial audience on platforms like Spotify.
He also attempted to enter politics, running for a U.S. Senate seat in Maryland in 2012, along with congressional bids in 2014 and 2016 in Maryland and Florida — all of which he lost.
In a recent interview, Bongino criticized the Secret Service, calling for comprehensive reforms to address perceived failures within the agency, particularly referencing two assassination attempts from the prior year. “That guy should have been nowhere near you,” he remarked regarding an individual who allegedly camped outside Trump’s golf course armed with a rifle.
During the same conversation, Trump lauded the Secret Service agent who managed to spot the gunman’s rifle protruding from nearby foliage.
Patel and Bongino will be taking over from interim FBI leaders Brian Driscoll and Robert Kissane, who have been at the helm since the resignation of former Director Christopher Wray in January. Wray, appointed by Trump in 2017, served for seven years before stepping down to make room for the new administration’s appointee.
