Written by Samuel Carter.
Dan Bongino didn’t waste a moment after taking the oath as Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on March 17, 2025—he headed straight to the Wall of Honor to pay respects to agents who gave their lives in service. For a man stepping into one of the nation’s toughest jobs, this wasn’t just ceremony; it was a statement. Supporters cheered the move, seeing it as proof of a leader who gets the weight of the badge, while the FBI itself shared the moment online, spotlighting his focus on the bureau’s legacy of sacrifice.
The path to the deputy’s desk
Last month, President Donald Trump tapped Bongino for the role, dropping the news on Truth Social with his usual flair. He touted the new deputy’s resume: a psychology master’s from CUNY, an MBA from Penn State, time with the NYPD, and over a decade as a Secret Service agent guarding presidents. Trump also made a point of Bongino’s podcast success—millions hang on his every word—and his readiness to ditch that gig for public service. Paired with FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi, Bongino joins a Trump-picked trio meant to steer justice back to what the president calls “fairness and order.”
This isn’t abstract for the folks who keep the FBI humming. Picture an agent in a Chicago field office, years on the beat, now eyeing a boss who’s walked a similar path. Bongino’s first stop at the Wall of Honor—etched with over 70 names—hits home for them, a signal he’s not some detached suit. Trump even tossed in a personal note, praising Bongino’s wife, Paula, and their daughters, framing him as a family man stepping up for country. It’s a portrait that resonates when trust in the bureau’s been shaky.
Old scores and new resolve
Days before Trump’s announcement, Bongino was on his podcast, zeroing in on Sen. Adam Schiff and the Russia collusion probe that dominated headlines years back. He didn’t tiptoe: the story, he said, was a fabricated mess—cooked up by the FBI, Justice Department, Congress, and foreign players—that could’ve torched ties with a nuclear power. “I’m not letting this go,” he insisted, calling it a hijacking of the justice system to meddle in elections. His point? No American—Democrat, Republican, or otherwise—should face that again.
That’s not idle talk from a guy now second-in-command at the FBI. Schiff, in Bongino’s view, ran the show back then, and the deputy director’s tone suggests he’s got a long memory. With his Secret Service days—11 years, including protecting Obama—Bongino knows how trust in government can fray. Think of a trucker in Ohio, reliant on stable fuel prices: when feds bungle big, it’s not just politics—it’s livelihoods. His vow to dig into what happened carries weight, though it’s anyone’s guess how far he’ll push it now that he’s inside the machine.
The broader context sharpens his stance. The FBI’s faced heat for years—think 2016 email leaks or 2020 election rumors—and public faith sits at a wobbly 43%, per recent polls. Bongino’s not wrong that a hoax with global stakes is a “big freakin’ deal,” but his timing, right before taking office, hints he’s priming to settle scores alongside shaping policy. It’s a tightrope: accountability matters, but so does moving forward.
Our take
Bongino’s debut as FBI deputy director lands with purpose—honoring the dead isn’t just optics, it’s a pledge to an agency that’s taken its lumps. His street-to-suit journey, from NYPD beat cop to podcast powerhouse, gives him a shot at steadying a bureau where morale’s been uneven. The Wall of Honor visit proves he’s not blind to the human cost of the job, and if he leans on that instinct, he might just rebuild some trust. That’s no small feat when half the country’s skeptical of the feds.
But his Russia probe obsession could trip him up. It’s a valid fight—nobody wants justice weaponized—but harping on Schiff risks turning a fresh start into a grudge match. The FBI’s plate is full: ransomware’s up 62% since 2022, and terror threats don’t sleep. Bongino’s got the chops to tackle that, with his Secret Service grit and outsider’s eye. If he balances the rearview mirror with what’s ahead, he could leave a mark. Otherwise, he’s just another voice shouting into the past—and the bureau can’t afford that.
