Donald Trump ran for office with a vision to overhaul the nation’s law enforcement agencies. His appointment of Dan Bongino, a right-wing podcaster, as the FBI’s Deputy Director has made it clear just how significant this transformation is intended to be.
Bongino, who previously served as a New York City police officer and a Secret Service agent, is anything but a traditional choice. He has no prior experience with the FBI and has not managed a large-scale operation like it. Instead, his career over the past decade has revolved around media battles and crafting narratives as a provocative figure in the media landscape. “My entire life right now is about owning the libs,” Bongino declared in 2018. “That’s it.”
This marks a departure from the past, when the FBI’s second-in-command was often a low-profile bureaucrat with little public recognition. In Trump’s administration, however, that role is filled by a fiercely loyal, hard-right influencer who actively promotes Trump’s agenda.
“It aligns perfectly with other appointments in this administration,” a Trump adviser commented. “They’re seeking individuals who are charismatic and can effectively communicate on camera. When you find someone with those skills who also shares the administration’s ideological stance, that’s the winning combination.”
Trump announced Bongino’s appointment just three days after Kash Patel, another conservative figure, was confirmed as the new FBI Director. For supporters of the MAGA movement, the rise of another Trump loyalist to a prominent position within the nation’s leading law enforcement agency is an exciting development. “It demonstrates that President Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and FBI Director Kash Patel are serious about reforming the Justice Department and especially the FBI,” stated Mike Davis, a Trump supporter who founded the conservative Article III Project. “It feels like Christmas every day with the Trump 47 administration.”
However, Bongino’s rise also raises alarm for many. Given his combative rhetoric and Trump’s history of retribution, there are concerns that Bongino’s aggressive stance could lead to injustices. “When the focus shifts from investigating crimes based on established standards to a goal of targeting individuals, that’s a serious problem,” warned a former FBI official who preferred to remain anonymous to avoid backlash. Additionally, since Bongino’s position does not require Senate confirmation, there is little that critics can do to challenge his appointment.
Traditionally, the FBI Deputy Director oversees all domestic and international operations, usually held by a seasoned agent with extensive experience. The role carries significant prestige within the FBI and was once occupied by Mark Felt, who famously became known as “Deep Throat,” the secret informant who aided in uncovering the Watergate scandal.
Before implementing new leadership, Trump had already begun to exert influence over the FBI and its personnel. In recent weeks, the Justice Department has removed several senior officials and requested names of FBI staff involved in the investigation of the January 6 Capitol riot. Interim leaders Brian Driscoll and Robert Kissane resisted these pressures, but with Patel and Bongino now in charge, many speculate that their days are numbered and that a new order is on the horizon within the FBI. Changes have already begun; as Patel was set to be sworn in, FBI leadership announced plans to reassign as many as 1,500 agents from the Washington headquarters to regional offices nationwide.
Bongino’s ascent within the FBI is unprecedented. He has attempted to run for Congress three times without success, ultimately transforming his campaigns into a platform that launched him into the upper echelons of right-wing media. After relocating to Florida in 2015, he started a podcast from his home that quickly attracted a large audience. Since then, he has become a regular commentator on Fox News and a prominent voice within the online right. In October 2020, his posts on Facebook ranked among the most shared content on the site, according to analytics tool CrowdTangle.
Throughout this journey, Bongino has remained a steadfast ally of Trump, even during challenging times for the former president. In 2021, while hosting a weekend show on Fox News, Bongino invited Trump to appear at a time when Fox was distancing itself from him. Documents released in a lawsuit alleging that Fox spread misinformation about the Dominion voting system revealed that Rupert Murdoch, the network’s owner, sought to diminish Trump’s presence. “Fox News is very busy pivoting,” he wrote in an email to a former Fox executive on January 8, 2021. “We want to make Trump a nonperson.”
Bongino departed from Fox News in April 2023, refocusing on his podcast, which is among the most popular in the nation, according to Spotify. His influence within the conservative media landscape was highlighted when he was given the same radio slot as Rush Limbaugh. Using this platform, Bongino has vocally criticized COVID-19 mandates, promoted unfounded claims regarding the 2020 election being stolen, and championed the America First movement. “Keep in mind,” noted the Trump adviser, “this guy has been advocating for the President to millions for the last seven or eight years.”
Following his 2024 election victory, Trump sought to find a role for Bongino in the government, initially considering him for the position of Secret Service Director, according to a source familiar with Trump’s thinking. Ultimately, he decided to appoint Bongino to the FBI alongside Patel.
For Trump’s supporters, the duo symbolizes an opportunity to reshape U.S. law enforcement. “FBI agents are accountable to the President and his political appointees, not the other way around,” Davis stated. Critics, however, point to the FBI’s tradition of independence as a cause for concern. “Is it realistic to expect these men to suddenly become objective and impartial overseers of investigations?” pondered the former FBI agent. “It’s conceivable, but it seems unlikely given the current trajectory.”
One thing is certain: both supporters and detractors of Trump will be closely monitoring how Patel and Bongino utilize the considerable power bestowed upon them by the President.
