Trump Appoints Dan Bongino as Deputy FBI Director

US President Donald Trump has appointed podcaster and political commentator Dan Bongino as deputy director of the FBI.

In a social media post, Trump praised Bongino as "a man of incredible love and passion for our Country" and announced that he would serve under newly confirmed FBI Director Kash Patel.

Bongino, 50, is a former New York police officer and Secret Service agent. A staunch Trump supporter, he has frequently promoted claims about the 2020 election and other controversial topics. His appointment does not require Senate confirmation, making him one of the top two officials at the FBI without prior bureau experience.

Traditionally, the deputy director position is held by a career agent with extensive experience overseeing domestic and international operations.

Bongino is widely known as the host of The Dan Bongino Show, a popular conservative podcast. His social media influence rivals major news outlets, often garnering more engagement than Fox News and CNN combined.

During a recent podcast episode, Bongino defended Patel’s leadership, dismissing concerns that the FBI would be used for political purposes. "Kash Patel is there for one reason—to make the FBI great again," he said. He also expressed a vision of an agency focused solely on crime-fighting, free from what he described as "woke culture and DEI initiatives."

Trump stated that Bongino would be stepping away from his podcast to focus on his new role, vowing that he would help restore "fairness, justice, law, and order."

Bongino, who has unsuccessfully run for Congress three times, has long been an outspoken advocate for conservative causes. He has repeatedly echoed Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election and has accused the Biden administration of orchestrating the FBI’s search of Trump’s Florida residence for classified documents.

His combative style has led to public feuds with various figures, including author Stephen King. In 2018, he described his political commentary career by stating, "My life is all about owning the libs now."

Meanwhile, newly confirmed FBI Director Kash Patel has pledged to rebuild the agency, despite his history of criticism toward it. He has denied any intent to use the FBI for political retribution.