Dan Bongino to Resign As FBI Deputy Director

After less than a year on the job, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino announced his resignation.

“I will be leaving my position with the FBI in January,” he said in a Wednesday post on X. 

“I want to thank President Trump, [Attorney General Pam] Bondi, and [FBI] Director [Kash] Patel for the opportunity to serve with purpose,” he continued. “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.”

I will be leaving my position with the FBI in January.
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…

— Dan Bongino (@FBIDDBongino) December 17, 2025

Hours before the announcement President Donald Trump signaled that Bongino was out.

“Dan did a great job,” he told reporters at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland earlier yesterday, adding “I think he wants to go back to his show.“ 

Bongino, meanwhile, told Fox News ”I gave up everything for this. My wife is struggling. I’m not a victim. It’s fine. I’m proud I did this. But if you think we’re there for tea and crumpets…we’re there all day,” adding “I stare at these 4 walls all day separated from my wife in DC.”

:#DANBONGINO: “I gave up everything for this. My wife is struggling. I’m not a victim. It’s fine. I’m proud I did this. But if you think we’re there for tea and crumpets…we’re there all day.”

“I stare at these 4 walls all day separated from my wife in DC.” FAMILY MAN.… pic.twitter.com/YGVAZaLxW8

— Brandon Tatum (@TheOfficerTatum) December 18, 2025

As the Epoch Times notes further, Bongino, who started his career as an officer for the New York Police Department and special agent for the U.S. Secret Service, was most known for being a political commentator on Fox News since 2013 and for hosting The Dan Bongino show on Rumble, before he joined the FBI in February 2025.

Social media users, including current and former Fox News contributors such as Nicole Saphier and Trish Regan, commended Bongino for his work. Regan said she looked forward to seeing him broadcast again.

The Epoch Times contacted Fox News for comment on whether Bongino would return, but did not receive an immediate response.

Bongino did not have prior experience in the FBI before he was tapped for the No. 2 position under Patel.

“Dan is the best partner I could’ve asked for in helping restore this FBI,” Patel posted on X Wednesday night.

“He brought critical reforms to make the organization more efficient, led the successful Summer Heat op, served as the people’s voice for transparency, and delivered major breakthroughs in long unsolved cases like the pipe bomb investigation. And that’s only a small part of the work he went about every single day delivering for America.”

The FBI has not yet named a replacement for the position, which does not require Senate confirmation.

During Bongino’s brief tenure, he clashed with the Justice Department over the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files after he spent years on his podcast demanding answers about the financier and sex offender’s 2019 death and high-profile connections.

Despite the reported disagreements over handling of the files, Trump said in July that their relationship remained close in July, calling Bongino “a very good guy.”