Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino is weighing whether to remain at the bureau and is expected to make a decision within weeks, sources tell Fox News. Insiders deny reports that his office is empty but say his departure remains a possibility. Bongino and Director Kash Patel defend a sweeping reform agenda and point to enforcement results while pushing back on a recent internal critique from active and retired agents.
Dan Bongino May Leave the FBI — Deputy Director To Decide Within Weeks, Sources Say
Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino to decide about future at bureau in coming weeks, sources say
Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino is expected to decide within the next few weeks whether he will remain at the bureau, two people familiar with his thinking told Fox News. Insiders also pushed back on recent reports that his FBI office is vacant, saying those claims are inaccurate even as a departure remains a possibility.
Another source told Fox News Digital that Bongino has not yet reached a final decision about his future and is weighing his options.
FBI Director Kash Patel, left, and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino conduct a news conference at the Department of Justice on Dec. 4, 2025.
Enforcement Record and Leadership Reforms
Earlier this year, Bongino highlighted enforcement results, saying the FBI apprehended 449 child predators and rescued 224 children during his first three months as deputy director — figures he and the bureau have used to underscore early operational gains under the new leadership team.
Criticism and Pushback
Bongino's tenure has faced mounting criticism alongside FBI Director Kash Patel. An alliance of active-duty and retired FBI personnel released an internal report earlier this month that depicted the agency as lacking clear direction under the new leadership. Bongino and Patel have strongly defended their reform program, arguing the changes have produced measurable gains in accountability, performance standards and cost savings.
FBI Director Kash Patel is facing criticism over his tenure at the bureau.
"When the director and I moved forward with these reforms, we expected some noise from the small circle of disgruntled former agents still loyal to the old Comey–Wray model," Bongino told Fox News. "That was never our audience. Our responsibility is to the American people. And under the new leadership team, the bureau is delivering results this country hasn't seen in decades — tighter accountability, tougher performance standards, billions saved and a mission-first culture. That's how you restore trust."
Public Disputes and Media Exchanges
Reports about Bongino's interactions with other officials have drawn attention, including accounts of a tense meeting with White House officials tied to fallout over the Jeffrey Epstein matter. Bongino has also publicly rebutted criticism from commentators. He sharply criticized New York Post columnist and Fox News contributor Miranda Devine after she reported on a 115-page internal critique compiled by active-duty and retired FBI agents and analysts.
"You can always count on Miranda for a timed hit piece when the Director and I make big changes," Bongino wrote on X. "Miranda prefers the old‑guard. I don’t. Full steam ahead."
Fox News correspondent Ashley Carnahan contributed reporting to the original coverage.
