Dan Bongino Announces He Will Resign as FBI Deputy Director in January After Reported Fallout With Trump Officials

Dan Bongino confirmed on social media that he will resign as FBI deputy director in January.

“Topic:World Politics Dan Bongino announced his resignation on social media”

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

He thanked former President Donald Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel for the opportunity to serve and told Americans it was a "privilege to serve you."

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

His announcement follows public remarks from Trump praising Bongino and saying he likely "wants to go back to his show."

The news comes amid reporting that Bongino had quietly told confidants he planned to leave and had been seen clearing out his office.

The move caps a short, contentious tenure that many outlets date to his installation earlier in the year.

Bongino’s stint as deputy was less than a year in the post and notable because he lacked traditional FBI-agent experience.

He had previously served as a Secret Service agent and NYPD officer before becoming a high-profile conservative media host.

BBC

He shared the deputy role with Andrew Bailey, who reportedly had already taken over some meetings in recent weeks.

His appointment drew internal criticism from career agents and watchdogs who said the position traditionally goes to a career FBI agent.

Some colleagues said his background and social-media profile made them uneasy.

Tensions over the handling of Jeffrey Epstein-related materials and a July DOJ/FBI memo contributed to friction around Dan Bongino's tenure.

“PresidentDonald TrumpsaidDan Bonginois heading back to conservative media after the FBI's deputy director announced he will resign in January”

Benzinga

Several outlets reported he clashed with Attorney General Pam Bondi and questioned the Justice Department's handling of sensitive Epstein documents.

A DOJ/FBI memo that walked back some Trump-era promises on Epstein files and refuted certain conspiracy claims reportedly intensified the dispute and prompted him to consider resigning earlier in the year.

Bongino’s handling of the Jan. 6-era pipe-bomb investigation and his prior promotion of conspiracy theories loomed over his time at the bureau.

Several reports note he previously suggested the devices might have been an "inside job" by the FBI and later attempted to retreat from those assertions.

CNN

He marked an arrest in that probe on his 51st birthday and also acknowledged the case’s complexity and his earlier support for conspiracy narratives, saying he later emphasized a commitment to facts and evidence.

The FBI later arrested a suspect in the case, who has pleaded not guilty, and Bongino was publicly credited by some allies with moving the long-dormant probe forward.

Reactions to Bongino's departure are split along partisan and editorial lines.

“FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, a high-profile Trump appointee, will leave in January, ending his brief tenure”

DW

Some outlets and commentators highlight praise from Trump and allies and present his exit as a return to media life.

DW

Critics and some internal reports portray his tenure as chaotic, citing a lack of transparency and the blending of partisan media habits with an enforcement role.

Reports that colleagues and media saw him clear out his office and ship belongings to Florida fueled speculation about the timing.

Other voices, including Kash Patel, publicly credited him with reforms and operational successes during his short tenure.