Christopher Raia, the head of the FBI's New York office, is expected to be named deputy director, The New York Times reports. A career FBI agent, Raia could begin as soon as next week. He would replace Dan Bongino, whose brief and unconventional tenure ended last week. Raia's appointment would restore a career law-enforcement official to the bureau's No. 2 post.
FBI Set To Name Christopher Raia As Deputy Director, NYT Reports
FBI New York Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia speaks during a press conference, at the U.S. Attorney's Office in Brooklyn, New York, October 23, 2025. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz
Jan 9 (Reuters) - Christopher Raia, the head of the FBI's New York office, is expected to be named the bureau's deputy director, The New York Times reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. The deputy director is the bureau's second-highest official.
Raia is a career FBI agent who leads one of the bureau's largest field offices. According to the report, he could assume the post as soon as next week, pending any final approvals.
Background
Predecessor: Dan Bongino, a former New York City police officer turned conservative podcaster, ended his brief and unconventional tenure as deputy director last week. Bongino's appointment drew attention because he was an atypical, high-profile pick for the role.
What This Means
Raia's likely elevation signals a return to a career-law-enforcement figure in the bureau's senior leadership. His experience running the New York field office, which handles major national security and criminal investigations, positions him to step into the No. 2 role immediately.
(Reporting by Costas Pitas and Bhargav Acharya; editing by Scott Malone)
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