Dan Bongino will leave his post as FBI deputy director in January, ending a tenure that began earlier this year.
Bongino confirmed his departure in a post on the social media platform X on Thursday. He did not cite a reason for his exit or outline future plans.
“I want to thank you, my fellow Americans, for the privilege to serve you,” Bongino said. “God bless America, and all those who defend Her.”
When Did Dan Bongino Become FBI Deputy Director?
Bongino was selected in February by FBI Director Kash Patel to serve as the bureau’s second-highest-ranking official.
Patel described Bongino as a key partner in advancing internal reforms and operational priorities at the bureau.
“Dan is the best partner I could’ve asked for in helping restore this FBI,” Patel said. “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.” Patel added that Bongino “far exceeded” expectations during his tenure.
What Is Dan Bongino’s Law Enforcement Background?
Bongino began his public service career with the New York Police Department in the mid-1990s before joining the U.S. Secret Service in 1999. His assignments included financial fraud investigations, instructor roles at the Secret Service Training Center and service in the Presidential Protective Division under former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
After concluding protective duty, Bongino returned to criminal investigations in the Baltimore Field Office, where he served as lead agent on a multimillion-dollar fraud case that resulted in successful prosecutions.
Bongino holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the City University of New York. He also earned a master’s degree from Penn State University.
