Daily Facts: Dan Bongino

Quick Bio & Career

Name: Daniel John Bongino (b. Dec 4, 1974)
Education: BS & MS in Psychology from Queens College; MBA from Penn State
Early Career:
- NYPD officer (1995–1999)
- U.S. Secret Service agent (1999–2011), served in Presidential Protection under Bush and Obama
Post-Government:
- Three-time Republican congressional candidate (2012–2016)
- Conservative media figure—radio host (“The Dan Bongino Show” on Rumble), Fox News host (“Unfiltered” until April 2023), bestselling author (notable titles: Life Inside the Bubble, Spygate)

Appointed: February 23, 2025 by President Trump; took office March 17, 2025, alongside FBI Director Kash Patel

Key Conflict: Clashed publicly with Attorney General Pam Bondi over an “Epstein client list” that was promised but apparently doesn’t exist.
Video release issues: DOJ/FBI released ~11 hours of surveillance footage from Epstein’s cell night, but one minute was missing—Bongino reportedly frustrated and considering resignation.
Media reactions:
- MAGA base “furious” that promised bombshells turned out empty, calling for Bondi’s removal.
- The Wall Street Journal accused him of being co-opted by the “establishment” after rolling back conspiracy pushes .

Bongino has twice affirmed publicly that, based on his review, Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide and there’s no credible evidence of murder or a client list. This stance angered many on the right who viewed him as having “sold out.”

A vocal Trump supporter—championed Spygate and 2020 election claims, faced bans from YouTube for COVID disinformation.
Appeared in conservative media discourses that pushed conspiracy theories regarding Epstein and election integrity.

Position: Serving as the 20th Deputy Director of the FBI since March 17, 2025, appointed by Director Kash Patel under Trump, a role historically reserved for career agents.
Initial Actions: Made waves early on by directing internal reforms — reportedly purging agents deemed “oath breakers” and promoting accountability and readiness in June 2025.
High-Profile Case Reviews: Co-leading efforts to re‑examine major Biden-era investigations, including:
- 2021 D.C. pipe bombings
- 2023 cocaine incident at the White House
- 2022 Supreme Court draft leak (Dobbs decision)

DOJ Memo Fallout: In early July, the DOJ issued a memo stating no “client list” was found in Epstein case files and released nearly 11 hours of surveillance video — but with a missing minute, fueling conspiracy speculation.
Clash with AG Bondi: At a July 9 meeting with Attorney General Pam Bondi and others, Bongino reportedly confronted Bondi over promises of newly revealed information. The meeting was described as “didn’t end on friendly terms”.
Resignation Rumors: He skipped work post-memo release, sparking resignation speculation — CNN reported he was “considering” stepping down. DOJ officials insist the memo was collectively approved and that he remains in role.