Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino is reportedly packing up his office and preparing to leave the bureau, potentially to return to conservative media ahead of the 2026 midterms. Sources told The New York Times he could depart “as soon as this week or as late as mid‑January,” though no formal announcement has been made. Reports say he has shipped personal items to Florida and discussed timing an exit around a high‑profile Jan. 6 pipe‑bomb investigation update. He has also sought to mend relations with Attorney General Pam Bondi after a summer dispute over the Jeffrey Epstein memo.
Dan Bongino Reportedly Packing Up FBI Office, May Return to Conservative Media Ahead of 2026
Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino is reportedly clearing out his office as he prepares for a possible departure from the bureau and a return to conservative broadcasting, The New York Times reports.
People familiar with Bongino’s plans told The Times that he has told associates he could leave “as soon as this week or as late as mid‑January,” although he has not yet made a formal announcement. To support those accounts, the newspaper reported that Bongino has begun shipping office “knick‑knacks” and other personal items back to Florida, where he intends to relaunch his media career in time for the 2026 midterm elections.
Sources who spoke with Fox News Digital pushed back against suggestions that his office is empty and said Bongino has not made a final decision, while adding that he is expected to clarify his plans in the coming weeks.
The former podcaster joined the FBI earlier this year after being nominated by President Donald Trump, arriving with promises to bring disruption and ideological clarity to the agency.
Timing His Exit
The Times reported that Bongino has discussed with associates the idea of timing his resignation to coincide with a major law‑enforcement announcement. He reportedly considered announcing his resignation at a press conference tied to the investigation into who planted pipe bombs near the Democratic and Republican National Committee headquarters on the eve of the January 6, 2021, riots.
Repairing Ties With DOJ
Behind the scenes, the newspaper said Bongino has also worked to repair relations with Attorney General Pam Bondi. In July, he publicly criticized Bondi’s handling of a memo related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation and reportedly threatened to resign after Bondi’s office concluded the widely discussed “Epstein client list” did not exist — a topic Bongino had highlighted on his podcast prior to joining the bureau.
At present, the situation remains unsettled: reporting indicates personal items have been relocated to Florida, but sources close to Bongino insist no final decision has been made and an official announcement could still be weeks away.
What to watch: whether Bongino formalizes a resignation, the timing of any announcement, and whether he indeed resumes a media role ahead of the 2026 midterms.
