FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino announces plans to step down early next year

‘I think he wants to go back to his show,’ Trump said when asked about Bongino’s departure

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino is set to depart his role next month, concluding a brief tenure as the bureau's second-highest official.

“I want to thank President Trump, AG Bondi, and Director Patel for the opportunity to serve with purpose. Most importantly, I want to thank you, my fellow Americans, for the privilege to serve you,” Bongino said on X.

President Donald Trump took questions from reporters earlier on Wednesday and was asked, “Did Dan Bongino tell you why he’s leaving the FBI?”

“Dan did a great job. I think he wants to go back to his show,” Trump responded.

Bongino’s tenure with the department has been in question since July, when he reportedly clashed with Attorney General Pam Bondi over the administration’s failure to release the Jeffrey Epstein files over the summer.

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino is set to depart his role next month, concluding a brief tenure as the bureau's second-highest official (Getty)

In August, the FBI appointed Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey as its new “co-deputy director,” meaning Bongino had to share his duties.

However, at the time, Trump and the White House denied the allegations.

“President Trump has assembled a highly qualified and experienced law and order team dedicated to protecting Americans, holding criminals accountable, and delivering justice to victims,” White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said in a statement.

“This work is being carried out seamlessly and with unity. Any attempt to sow division within this team is baseless and distracts from the real progress being made in restoring public safety and pursuing justice for all.”

Bongino, 50, was an NYPD officer for two years before joining the Secret Service in 1999, going on to serve in the protection details for former U.S. presidents, George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

Bongino left the Secret Service in 2011 to mount a campaign to run for a Senate seat in Maryland. At the same time, he launched his media career with various incarnations of a radio show that would later become The Dan Bongino Show, which is now hosted on Rumble.

He began contributing political commentary on Fox News soon after his departure from the Secret Service and had a Saturday night show “Canceled in the USA” with the network from 2021 to 2023. The show saw him interviewing people who he believed had been “canceled” by the media over their opinions.