Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino expressed his gratitude to President Donald Trump and the American people on his final day in office, which he marked on Saturday evening. Having announced on December 17 his decision to step down, Bongino concluded nearly a year of dedicated service in his role.
“I will be leaving my position with the FBI in January. I want to thank President Trump, AG Bondi, and Director Patel for the opportunity to serve with purpose. Most importantly, I want to thank you, my fellow Americans, for the privilege to serve you. God bless America, and all those who defend Her,” he said at the time.
The deputy director did not elaborate on the reasons for his departure. However, President Donald Trump expressed his gratitude for Bongino’s service and noted that he plans to return to the media world. This was shared while Trump answered questions from reporters that same day.
“Dan did a great job. I think he wants to go back to his show,” the president told reporters.
On Saturday night, Bongino shared his last post on X from his official government account, reflecting on a hectic final day in office. This busy day was marked by the successful capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, the result of a joint operation carried out by the War Department and the DOJ.
“It was a busy last day on the job. This will be my last post on this account,” Bongino wrote.
“Tomorrow I return to civilian life. It’s been an incredible year thanks to the leadership and decisiveness of President Trump. It was the honor of a lifetime to work with Director Patel, and to serve you, the American people,” he continued, concluding the post with, “See you on the other side.”
Former Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who was appointed co-deputy FBI director alongside Bongino last August, is expected to take on the full responsibilities of the deputy director following Bongino’s exit.
During his tenure as attorney general, Bailey achieved several significant legal wins, including a successful multi-billion-dollar lawsuit against the Chinese government regarding COVID-19 coverups. He also spearheaded an unsuccessful challenge in the Supreme Court against social media giants, which successfully brought attention to various instances of censorship practices during the Biden administration.
FBI deputy directors are generally tasked with managing the day-to-day operations of the agency.
Bailey’s appointment came in response to reports of a significant rift between Bongino and Attorney General Pam Bondi that emerged back in July. According to multiple reports from that time, Bongino expressed concerns over the handling of several high-profile cases, including the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, and even threatened to resign if the issues weren’t sorted out.
Two weeks ago, Bongino provided some insider details into his decision to leave the Trump administration and his post during a Friday morning appearance on “Fox & Friends,” where he appeared to reveal the real reason behind his shocking move.
“I mean I gave up everything for this. I mean you know my…my wife is struggling. I’m not a victim. I’m not Jim Comey. It’s fine,” Bongino said. “I did this and I’m proud I did it. But if you think we’re there for tea and crumpets…Well, I mean, Kash is there all day.
“Our offices are linked. He turns on the faucet, I hear it. He gets there at like six o’clock in the morning. He doesn’t leave till seven at night. You know, I’m in there at 7:30 in the morning,” Bongino continued.
“He uses the gym, I work out in my apartment, but I stare at these four walls all day in DC, you know, by myself divorced from my wife – not divorced, but I mean separated-divorced, and it’s hard,” Bongino continued. “I mean, you know, we love each other and it’s hard to be apart.”