The FBI’s deputy director, formerly a controversial podcast host who spread conspiracy theories, has said he will resign in the new year.
Dan Bongino was appointed by Donald Trump to be second-in-command of the federal intelligence body in February, serving under director Kash Patel.
Announcing his resignation on Wednesday, the 51-year-old said he was grateful for the “opportunity to serve with purpose”.
While he did not say when in January he would leave or what he would do next, Mr Trump said earlier in the day: “Dan did a great job. I think he wants to go back to his show.”
In a social media post, Mr Patel called Mr Bongino “the best partner I could’ve asked for in helping restore this FBI”.
“He not only completed his mission – he far exceeded it,” the FBI director added.
Mr Bongino worked for the New York Police Department for several years in the 1990s before joining the Secret Service as an agent, serving on the presidential details for then-presidents Barack Obama and George Bush.
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The now-intelligence began doing commentary on Fox News more than a decade ago, and had a Saturday night show with the network from 2021 to 2023.
He also started a podcast, The Dan Bongino Show, which Spotify said was one of the most popular on the platform as it aired.
His appointment led several in the intelligence community to express concern over Mr Bongino’s lack of experience and support for conspiracy theories, according to Sky News’ US partner NBC News.
‘Out of control furious’ on Epstein files
Before his appointment, Mr Bongino spread false information about the 2020 election, making unsubstantiated claims about voter fraud.
He also claimed that Jeffrey Epstein had not taken his own life in a New York jail soon after his 2019 arrest, and claimed there was a cover-up regarding the Epstein files.
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After his arrival in the bureau, he said in a Fox News interview: “I’ve seen the whole file. He killed himself.”
Mr Bongino’s position came under further question after the FBI and Department of Justice announced in July that they would not be releasing any additional records from the Epstein investigation, despite earlier promises to release all files.
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Sky’s US partner NBC News reported at the time that Mr Bongino had a confrontation with US attorney general Pam Bondi over how her department handled the Epstein files, and was considering resigning.
A source told the broadcaster: “Bongino is out of control furious. This destroyed his career. He’s threatening to quit and torch Pam unless she’s fired.”
After months of pressure and repeated attacks on Democrats and Republicans calling for the files to be made public, Mr Trump signed the Epstein Transparency Act in November.
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Attacked FBI before appointment
Before his appointment, Mr Bongino also claimed that the FBI, under previous leadership, lied when it said it had not yet identified a suspect in a pipe bomb plot the day before the 6 January riots in 2021.
NBC News reported earlier in December that Brian Cole Jr was arrested and charged in connection with the placement of pipe bombs outside of the Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee nearly five years ago.
Ms Bondi said earlier this month that investigators and prosecutors made the arrest after “sifting through evidence that had been sitting at the FBI”.
But Mr Bongino said as recently as last year that the pipe bombs were either an “inside job” or the work of a “connected anti-Trump insider” and said the truth was shielded by a “massive cover-up”.
In an interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News, the deputy director was asked about his previous remarks, and said: “I was paid in the past, Sean, for my opinions, that’s clear.”
