
- Dan Bongino named deputy FBI director by Trump | Axios
- President Trump appoints Dan Bongino as FBI deputy director | AP News
- Trump taps conservative podcaster Dan Bongino to be deputy FBI director | NBC News
Donald Trump announced Dan Bongino as the new deputy director of the FBI on February 23, 2025, via Truth Social. Kash Patel confirmed Bongino's appointment to the deputy director position, which does not require Senate confirmation. Bongino's background includes:
- Former Secret Service agent
- Former NYPD officer
- Conservative media personality and podcaster
- Fox News contributor
The appointment marks an major departure from traditional FBI leadership selection criteria, where deputy directors typically emerge from within the agency's ranks with extensive investigative and management experience.
Bongino, whose recent career has centered on political commentary and podcast hosting rather than law enforcement administration, brings a mix of street-level experience as a former NYPD officer and Secret Service agent. However, his selection raises serious questions about the politicization of the nation's premier law enforcement agency.
The decision to install both Patel and Bongino — two vocal Trump allies — in the FBI's top positions represents a continued concerning shift in the agency's leadership structure. Career FBI officials speaking on condition of anonymity express concerns about the potential impact on ongoing investigations, particularly those touching on political sensitivities.
Internal rumblings suggest mounting anxiety among career agents about the agency's direction. The appointment creates an unusual dynamic where both the Director and Deputy Director positions are filled by individuals whose recent careers have been more aligned with political advocacy than law enforcement leadership.
The move threatens to strain relationships with:
- International law enforcement partners
- Congressional oversight committees
- Career prosecutors
- Other federal agencies
The unprecedented appointment of a conservative media figure to one of the FBI's most crucial positions sends a clear message about the administration's priorities. With both Patel and Bongino leading the Bureau — neither of whom rose through FBI ranks — it faces perhaps its greatest test of institutional independence since J. Edgar Hoover's era. As one veteran agent put it, speaking on condition of anonymity due to fear of retaliation: "We're watching decades of protocols and professional standards being dismantled in real time. The question isn't just about today's investigations — it's about whether the FBI can survive as an independent investigative agency." With congressional oversight largely divided along party lines, the burden of maintaining the bureau's integrity may fall squarely on the shoulders of its rank-and-file agents, many of whom are already updating their resumes.