Dan Bongino Steps Down From FBI Deputy Director Role After Less Than A Year

After just under a year in one of the nation’s most powerful law enforcement roles, Dan Bongino has officially stepped down as Deputy Director of the FBI, returning to private life. Bongino announced the move over the weekend, capping off a whirlwind tenure that saw him take the fight for law and order deep into the heart of the federal bureaucracy.

“It’s been an incredible year thanks to the leadership and decisiveness of President Trump,” Bongino posted on X. “It was the honor of a lifetime to work with Director Patel, and to serve you, the American people. See you on the other side.”

Appointed in March by President Donald Trump, Bongino a former Secret Service agent, NYPD officer, and conservative media powerhouse brought a long-awaited shakeup to an agency that had been plagued for years by political scandal, partisan rot, and deep-state corruption.

But the price was high.

In a candid appearance on Fox & Friends earlier this year, Bongino opened up about the personal toll of the role “I gave up everything for this… I stare at these four walls all day in D.C., by myself, divorced from my wife not divorced, but I mean separated and it’s hard.”

What Bongino brought to the FBI:

• A relentless focus on rooting out political bias within the Bureau.

• An emphasis on restoring trust in federal law enforcement, particularly after years of abuses targeting conservatives.

• Strong partnership with FBI Director Kash Patel, with whom he worked to restructure parts of the Bureau and increase transparency.

President Trump praised Bongino’s brief but impactful service “Dan did a great job. I think he wants to go back to his show,” the president told reporters.

That show The Dan Bongino Show has been a major voice in conservative media, and Bongino’s return to the mic is sure to bring inside insight from his time inside the FBI’s inner sanctum.

Andrew Bailey, who was appointed co-deputy director in September 2025, now remains as the sole deputy director of the Bureau. Bailey, a former Missouri Attorney General and Trump ally, is expected to carry on the administration’s reforms at the agency.

While Bongino’s tenure was short, it was undeniably significant. He entered the Bureau to clean house, expose rot, and ensure that federal law enforcement once again served the people not the political class.

Now, back in the civilian world, he’s likely to speak louder than ever.

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