President Donald Trump announced on February 23 that newly appointed Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel has selected conservative media personality and former United States Secret Service (USSS) agent Dan Bongino as the Deputy Director of the FBI.
“I am proud to welcome Dan Bongino as the next Deputy Director of the FBI — a warrior and lifelong public servant,” FBI Director Patel wrote in a statement. “With Pam Bondi as our new Attorney General, we are assembling a team focused on restoring public trust, upholding the rule of law, and ensuring justice is served.”
The appointment comes just days after the Senate confirmed Patel as the Bureau’s new director last week, marking a significant reshaping of leadership at one of the nation’s premier law enforcement agencies.
Bongino brings a varied background to the role. He began his career in law enforcement as a New York City Police Department officer in 1995, before joining the USSS in 1999. Bongino worked in the USSS New York Field Office, investigating federal crimes including computer crimes, bank fraud, and counterfeiting.
After serving as an instructor at the USSS Training Academy, Bongino joined the Presidential Protective Division in 2006, where he served during both the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations before transferring to the Baltimore Field Office in 2010.
Bongino left federal service in 2011 to pursue political ambitions, launching unsuccessful campaigns for U.S. Senate in Maryland in 2012 and for the U.S. House in 2014. After relocating to Florida in 2015, he made another unsuccessful congressional bid in 2016.
Following his political defeats, Bongino pivoted to media, building a significant following as a conservative commentator. In 2021, he took over the late Rush Limbaugh’s radio slot on Cumulus Media, cementing his position as a prominent voice in right-wing media.
The appointment has raised eyebrows among FBI veterans and law enforcement experts, as the Deputy Director position has traditionally been filled by career FBI agents with extensive operational experience within the Bureau.
“The Bureau has never had someone from the outside come in as a Deputy Director. Never,” said Ray Batvinis, a retired FBI counterintelligence officer turned author and historian of the Bureau. “I believe [Bongino] has a steep — possibly insurmountable — learning curve.”
Some former FBI officials have expressed concern that the appointment appears politically motivated rather than merit-based.
“The hope was he was going to surround himself with advisers that would allow Kash to focus on the critical mission of the FBI and the organizational needs of its people,” said Christopher O’Leary, a former senior executive in the FBI’s counterterrorism division who retired in 2023. “Choosing a Deputy Director who has no qualifications other than he is a fiercely loyal defender of President Trump says to me that they’re not looking to do that.”
The appointment does not require Senate confirmation, allowing Bongino to assume the role immediately.
