So, what’s next for one of the FBI’s most unconventional leaders? Dan Bongino says he’s stepping aside.
The FBI’s deputy director announced he will leave the role in January.
He thanked President Donald Trump and senior justice officials for the chance to “serve with purpose.”
He didn’t spell out a reason, but Trump offered a blunt explanation: Bongino, he said, “did a great job” and now wants to return to his media career.
It’s been a remarkable chapter. Appointed in February, Bongino was a surprise pick.
A former NYPD officer and Secret Service agent, yes, but not a career FBI insider.
His selection even drew objections from the FBI Agents Association, which represents thousands of current and former agents.
Bongino’s Controversial Tenure
Before joining the bureau, Bongino was best known as a combative podcast host and a loyal Trump ally.
He often amplified controversial claims about the 2020 election and the January 6 pipe bomb case.
Once in office, though, he pushed to revive that long-stalled investigation.
FBI Director Kash Patel praised him for delivering “major breakthroughs,” saying he “far exceeded” expectations.
Bongino also made headlines by reversing course on Jeffrey Epstein’s death.
“I have seen the whole file. He killed himself,” he said after reviewing the evidence — a stance that angered some supporters.
His departure leaves a familiar question behind.
Was this a brief experiment, or a sign of how politics and policing are becoming ever more intertwined?
