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Outgoing FBI Deputy Director Dan 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.”
WATCH:
Bongino’s departure follows reported internal conflict with Attorney General Pam Bondi over the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigative files.
MS NOW reported that Bongino had been telling associates he planned to leave early next year and had begun clearing out his office, USA Today reported.
President Donald Trump confirmed Bongino’s impending departure before Bongino publicly addressed it on social media. In a post on X, Bongino thanked Trump, Bondi, and FBI Director Kash Patel for what he called the opportunity to serve.
“Most importantly, I want to thank you, my fellow Americans, for the privilege to serve you,” Bongino wrote.
Trump praised Bongino when asked about him by reporters earlier this week. “Dan did a great job,” Trump said, adding that Bongino wanted to return to his show.
Bongino is a former Secret Service agent, New York City police officer, and host of The Dan Bongino Show.
His podcast and media career made him a prominent figure among supporters of Trump’s Make America Great Again movement.
Since March, Bongino has helped oversee a major shakeup of federal law enforcement under Trump appointees who have been critical of the FBI and Justice Department.
After Trump appointed Kash Patel as FBI director and Bongino as his deputy, the bureau removed several top officials.
Those officials included a former acting FBI director and other senior leaders accused by the administration of being overly politicized.
Some of the removed officials later filed a federal lawsuit alleging they were unlawfully terminated.
Bongino’s prior service in the Secret Service’s Presidential Protective Division and as a police officer helped elevate him to prominence in conservative media.
Before joining the FBI, Bongino frequently criticized the bureau and the Justice Department over their handling of the Epstein case.
He suggested the existence of a cover-up to protect powerful figures and questioned whether Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
After assuming his FBI role, Bongino said he reviewed agency files and concluded that Epstein died by suicide and did not maintain a client list.
In July, the FBI and Justice Department announced they would not release additional Epstein files following what they described as an exhaustive review. That decision further angered some of Bongino’s former supporters.
Media reports later said Bongino clashed with Bondi over the decision and considered resigning. MAGA influencer Laura Loomer claimed on X that Bongino and Patel were furious over the Justice Department’s handling of the matter.
