Dan Bongino, the fiery conservative voice turned FBI deputy director, has just dropped a bombshell by announcing his exit from the bureau come January 2026.
Bongino revealed on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, that he’s stepping down after a contentious nine-month stint marked by public spats and friction with the Justice Department, a move hinted at by President Trump himself.
For hardworking taxpayers, this saga raises serious questions about government accountability and the financial burden of constant leadership turnover at the FBI, where instability can mean wasted resources and disrupted investigations.
Appointed in February 2025, Bongino came to the FBI with a background as a popular podcaster—his “The Dan Bongino Show” ranked No. 56 on Spotify at the time—and a former Secret Service agent who served under President George W. Bush.
Before this, he cut his teeth with the NYPD, worked in the Secret Service’s Baltimore Field Office, and even hosted “Unfiltered” on Fox News until a contract dispute ended that gig in 2023.
But his time at the FBI quickly turned into a lightning rod, with controversies piling up faster than debt at a progressive think tank.
By May 2025, Bongino was pushing hard on investigations into the 2023 White House cocaine discovery and a leaked 2022 Supreme Court draft on the Dobbs ruling, showing a no-nonsense approach that conservatives cheered.
Yet, his history of promoting unverified theories—like claims about pipe bombs near party headquarters before the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot being an inside job—drew sharp criticism, even from some Trump allies.
He also faced heat for questioning the FBI’s past election probes and investigations into assassination attempts on Trump, painting him as a skeptic of the bureau’s own integrity.
Rumors of Bongino’s exit first swirled in July 2025 after a public clash with Attorney General Pam Bondi over the handling of the Epstein files, especially after the FBI backtracked on claims of murder or a “client list.”
By August 2025, the appointment of Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey as co-deputy director alongside Bongino by Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel only fueled speculation that his days were numbered.
President Trump, commenting on the departure, called Bongino’s work “a great job,” though one wonders if that’s faint praise for a tenure so steeped in conflict.
In his own words, Bongino expressed gratitude, saying, “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. God bless America, and all those who defend Her,” he added, striking a patriotic chord that resonates with many conservatives tired of bureaucratic games.
