US President Donald Trump has appointed podcaster and commentator Dan Bongino as the FBI’s deputy director. Bongino will report to Kash Patel, the newly appointed FBI director. Notably, Trump mentioned that Patel selected Bongino for the role, which does not require Senate approval.

Since the deputy director oversees daily operations, the position is usually held by a career agent. However, Bongino’s appointment marks a significant departure from tradition.

Who is Dan Bongino?

Bongino, 50, has worked in both law enforcement and media. He served in the New York Police Department and the US Secret Service. Moreover, he is a strong supporter of Trump and has promoted false claims about the 2020 election. He first worked as an NYPD officer in the 1990s before transitioning to the Secret Service. Later, he entered the media world. Over a decade ago, he started appearing on Fox News and eventually hosted a Saturday night show from 2021 to 2023. Currently, he hosts The Dan Bongino Show, one of Spotify’s most popular podcasts. In fact, reports suggest his audience is larger than that of Fox News and CNN combined. Earlier in his career, he protected former US Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush. However, he later shifted into right-wing media, becoming a vocal figure in the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. He has repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that the 2020 election was rigged. Following conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh’s death in 2021, Bongino was chosen to fill his time slot. Additionally, he ran for office three times—once for the US Senate in Maryland (2012) and twice for Congress in Maryland and Florida (2014, 2016). Yet, he lost all three races. Last year, Bongino urged Trump to reform the Secret Service, calling the agency “failed” after two assassination attempts. He criticized security lapses, stating, “That guy should have been nowhere near you.” On Sunday, Trump announced Bongino’s appointment on Truth Social. He described him as “a man of incredible love and passion for our Country” and called the decision “great news for Law Enforcement and American Justice.” Over the past year, Bongino has consistently supported Patel. He has pushed for removing FBI agents he considers politically biased and refocusing the agency’s mission.

Bongino’s Views on the FBI and Kash Patel

Even before Trump appointed Patel as FBI director, Bongino was one of his most vocal supporters. He repeatedly praised Patel on his podcast and argued that he was the only person capable of reforming the FBI.

“Kash knows where the bodies are buried,” Bongino said in November. “And he’s got shovels, man. He’s ready to rock and roll. That’s why they’re so terrified.”

Like Patel, Bongino believes the FBI has become too political. As a result, he has called for relocating agents from Washington, DC, and shifting their focus to fighting crime nationwide.

Harsh Criticism of FBI Leadership

Bongino has not hesitated to attack past FBI leaders. He has frequently criticized former FBI Director Christopher Wray, calling him “incompetent,” “awful,” and “potentially corrupt.”

In 2023, he went even further. He described the FBI as a “clear and present danger” to the United States. According to him, the agency is deeply corrupt and has conspired with foreign governments, spread disinformation, and interfered in elections.

Furthermore, he has personally insulted several former FBI officials. For example, he called former acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe an “absolute buffoon.” He also labeled former FBI lawyer Andrew Weissmann an “absolute tool bag.”

Bongino’s criticism extends beyond leadership. Just this month, Trump’s former border czar Tom Homan accused the FBI of leaking details about planned immigration raids. In response, Bongino called the alleged leakers “stupid” and insisted they should be jailed.

Aggressive Online Presence

Bongino frequently clashes with Trump’s critics on social media. Notably, he has an ongoing feud with author Stephen King.

Meanwhile, Trump confirmed on Sunday that Bongino will step away from his podcast to assume his new role at the FBI.

Bongino’s Plans: Removing Agents Who Investigated Trump

One of Bongino’s main priorities is to remove agents involved in past investigations against Trump.

“If you swore to uphold the Constitution of the United States as an FBI agent and engaged in a tyrannical investigation against Donald Trump with partisan intent and not the Constitution in mind, you do not deserve your job,” he said on his podcast earlier this month.

Refocusing the FBI’s Mission

Bongino has repeatedly argued that the FBI spends too much time on domestic intelligence. According to him, this has distracted from fighting violent crime and addressing foreign threats. He has also criticized the agency for investigating January 6 rioters and anti-abortion activists instead of focusing on more pressing issues.

Despite his criticism, Bongino once admired the FBI. In March, he recalled a childhood memory of an FBI representative visiting his high school.

“All I wanted to be was an FBI agent. That is it, man. I, like, adored these guys, man,” he said. “What happened to this agency?”

Currently, the FBI has 38,000 employees and an annual budget exceeding $11 billion.

Concerns Over Bongino’s Appointment

Bongino’s appointment has sparked concerns about the FBI’s future direction. Many fear that Trump’s administration could use the bureau to target political opponents.

For instance, the Republicans Against Trump account posted on X:

“Donald Trump just named far-right MAGA podcaster Dan Bongino, a notorious conspiracy theorist who promoted the lie that the 2020 election was ‘stolen,’ to serve as Deputy Director of the FBI. God help us all.”

Additionally, Gregg Nunziata, a Republican and former adviser to Senator Marco Rubio, warned that Bongino’s appointment is even more extreme than Patel’s.

“Kash Patel should have been a red line. Bongino is what you get when [Republican] Senators fail to do their jobs and say no to Patel,” Nunziata wrote.

With both Patel and Bongino now leading the FBI, significant changes seem inevitable.