FILE - Dan Bongino attends 2022 FOX Nation Patriot Awards at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood on November 17, 2022 in Hollywood, Florida. (Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump announced Sunday that Dan Bongino had been named the next deputy director of the FBI.
What they're saying:
Trump said Sunday evening that Bongino’s appointment was "great news for law enforcement and American justice," and that Bongino was "a man of incredible love and passion for our country."
Who is Dan Bongino?
The backstory:
Dan Bongino, 49, is a former Secret Service agent turned conservative pundit. He served on the presidential details for then-Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, before becoming a popular right-wing figure. He also has a background with the New York Police Department.
He has been doing commentary on Fox for more than a decade, joining as a contributor in 2019 and beginning his Saturday night show in 2021.
Trump shared more of Bongino’s education and career background when announcing his new role, saying he has a Masters Degree in Psychology from C.U.N.Y., and an MBA from Penn State.
"He was a member of the New York Police Department (New York’s Finest!), a highly respected Special Agent with the United States Secret Service, and is now one of the most successful Podcasters in the Country, something he is willing and prepared to give up in order to serve," Trump’s post said.
Dan Bongino podcast
Dan Bongino’s self-titled podcast, Dan Bongino Show, is available on all major streaming platforms.
The description says Bongino "tackles the hottest political issues, debunking both liberal and Republican establishment rhetoric."
What is Deputy Director of the FBI?
The Deputy Director of the FBI oversees all FBI domestic and internal investigative and intelligence activities, according to the FBI’s official government website.
The deputy director serves as second-in-command to the director, who is Kash Patel.
Who is Kash Patel?
Big picture view:
Kash Patel was confirmed by the Senate last week as FBI director.
Patel is a fierce Trump loyalist who has repeatedly criticized the agency he is tasked with leading.
A former federal defender and Justice Department counterterrorism prosecutor, Patel attracted Trump’s attention during his first term when, as a staffer on the Republican-led House Intelligence Committee, he helped author a memo with pointed criticism of the FBI’s investigation into ties between Russia and Trump’s 2016 campaign.
Patel later joined Trump’s administration, both as a counterterrorism official at the National Security Council and as chief of staff to the defense secretary.
RELATED: FBI Director Kash Patel to take over ATF, reports say
The Source: Information in this article was taken from a Truth Social post by President Trump the evening of Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. Information about Dan Bongino was taken from his public profiles. Background information about the FBI and Kash Patel was taken from previous FOX Television Station reportings and from The Associated Press. This story was reported from Detroit.