Popular conservative podcaster Dan Bongino named FBI deputy director

Dan Bongino, a former Secret Service agent, was named as the FBI’s next deputy director.

President Trump congratulated Mr. Bongino on Sunday night and described him in a Truth Social post as a man with “incredible love and passion for our country.”

Mr. Bongino, a native of New York’s Queens borough like Mr. Trump, is also a former NYPD police officer and has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology from the City University of New York and a master of business administration degree from Penn State.

He is now one of the most popular conservative podcasters in the country.

“Great news for Law Enforcement and American Justice! Dan Bongino, a man of incredible love and passion for our Country, has just been named the next deputy director of the FBI, by the man who will be the best ever Director, Kash Patel,” Mr. Trump said.

“Working with our great new United States Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and Director Patel, Fairness, Justice, Law and Order will be brought back to America, and quickly. Congratulations Dan!” the president wrote.

Mr. Bongino said that his new role is not about politics but about professionalism, leadership and accountability.

“I’ve spent my life in public service, beginning with the NYPD and continuing through my time as a Secret Service agent, working under both Republican and Democrat administrations. I’ve witnessed firsthand the dedication and sacrifice of the men and women in these agencies who serve with integrity and honor,” he said.

“There are dedicated people in the FBI who take their oath to the Constitution seriously. They deserve leadership that will back them up, protect their mission, and ensure they can do their jobs.”

A 12-year veteran of the Secret Service under George W. Bush and Barack Obama, Mr. Bongino was previously an NYPD officer between 1995 and 1999.

Following his time in law enforcement, he launched his political and media career, making unsuccessful bids for Congress in 2012, 2014 and 2016.

He waded into online media, when he launched the Bongino Report in 2019 as an alternative to the Drudge Report, saying founder Matt Drudge had “abandoned” Mr. Trump’s supporters.

He later joined Fox News as a contributor and host and became a successful podcast host and radio broadcaster on Cumulus, where he was signed to replace “The Rush Limbaugh Show” on its talk radio stations.

In 2022, he joined Rumble as a content creator with his podcast after YouTube banned his program after he questioned the effectiveness of masks in stopping the spread of COVID-19.