Trump appears to confirm Dan Bongino will step down from FBI role

Donald Trump appears to have confirmed reports that the FBI deputy director, Dan Bongino, is planning to step down, telling reporters on Wednesday that “Dan did a great job” and that he thinks Bongino “wants to go back to his show”.

The US president made the remarks while answering questions from various reporters on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews.

Earlier on Wednesday, MS Now reported Bongino “quietly told confidants he plans to formally leave his job early in the new year”. Citing eight people briefed on his account, the outlet noted that Bongino wouldn’t be returning to the bureau’s headquarters this month.

Those individuals also told MS Now that Bongino, the number two official at the FBI under Director Kash Patel, considered announcing his departure on Friday, 19 December. Bongino did not confirm his plans to the outlet, but said: “Print whatever you’d like. No one believes you anyway. Thanks.”

The former Secret Service agent and NYPD officer has hosted several shows in his career, including guest-host stints on both The Sean Hannity Show and The Mark Levin Show. He later launched the Bongino Report and The Dan Bongino Show.

In May, Bongino cried during an appearance on Fox News where he complained about the sacrifices he made to take up his role as FBI deputy director.

“I gave up everything for this. I mean, you know, my wife is struggling … I stare at these four walls all day in DC, you know, by myself, divorced from my wife. Not divorced, but I mean, separated. And it’s hard,” he said.

In 2018, Bongino, who has frequently perpetuated conspiracy theories of a so-called deep state plot against Trump, said: “My entire life right now is about owning the libs.”

The FBI declined to comment.