FBI veterans say new bureau deputy director has worrying lack of experience
FBI veterans say new bureau deputy director has worrying lack of experience
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Do Trump supporters want a third term? We asked CPAC attendees.
President Donald Trump and members of his inner-circles have talked about getting a third term.
President Donald Trump's announcement of a rightwing media figure as the FBI's deputy director has some bureau veterans worried that the new second-in-command lacks the experience to help lead a key agency responsible for keeping Americans safe.
The selection of Dan Bongino also has fueled criticism from Democrats and some on the right about the direction Trump is taking the bureau.
Bongino hasn't worked at the FBI before. He served as a police officer in New York City and spent 12 years with the Secret Service, leaving the agency 14 years ago and rising to fame as a conservative pundit. He hosts "The Dan Bongino Show," a popular podcast and syndicated radio program.
Trump appointed Kash Patel, a close ally who has been deeply critical of the FBI, to lead the bureau, prompting Democrats to complain he is weakening the agency's independence and could use it seek retribution against political enemies. Patel also has no FBI experience.
The FBI Agents Association, a non-profit organization representing current and retired agents, urged him to appoint an experienced agent as his top deputy, a position that often handles much of the agency's day-to-day operations.
The deputy director position has traditionally been filled internally from the ranks of the FBI, according to an FBI Agents Association internal newsletter obtained by USA TODAY.
"The FBI Deputy Director should continue to be an on-board, active Special Agent as has been the case for 117 years for many compelling reasons, including operational expertise and experience, as well as the trust of our Special Agent population," the Agents Association told Patel, according to the newsletter.
The FBI has roughly 38,000 employees who work on federal criminal investigations, counterterrorism efforts and counterintelligence programs, among other key functions performed by the bureau.
John Pistole rose through the agency, holding multiple management positions, before becoming the deputy director in 2004 and serving in the role for nearly six years. He believes the job should have been filled by someone within the bureau, noting deputy directors typically have decades of agency experience.
Pistole wondered if there could be a "crisis of confidence" when the agency's top leadership doesn't have experience running the bureau, and said it could create a challenge in a crisis situation.
'Unfortunately, it's probably a high-risk situation if he's not up to that task," Pistole said of Bongino.
Trump allies, meanwhile, argued Patel and Bongino represent a necessary course correction for an agency that has gone off track.
U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Tx, echoed Trump's claims that the FBI has been "turned into a political weapon."
"I believe President Trump has assembled these American patriots who will eliminate the corruption within the organization and restore public confidence," Nehls, a stalwart Trump supporter, told USA TODAY.
Trump has appointed a string of outsiders to lead key agencies as he pushes an aggressive overhaul of the federal government. The president has been particularly focused on the justice system, which he staunchly criticized over its handling of criminal cases against him and the investigation into accusations his 2016 campaign colluded with Russia.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said Bongino is "a highly-qualified former NYPD police officer and U.S. Secret Service agent" who will work with Patel "to bring law and order, fairness, and justice back to America."
Trump allies are cheering Bongino's appointment.
Leading MAGA figures such as Donald Trump Jr., the president's eldest son, and former Congressman Matt Gaetz, who withdrew as Trump's attorney general nominee amid controversy, celebrated Bongino's appointment on social media.
Charlie Kirk, founder of the conservative group Turning Point USA, described Bongino as "an exceptional patriot" and praised his efforts to push back against accusations that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia in 2016.
"He was one of the leading voices exposing the FBI for its abuses during RussiaGate and will do an amazing job as Deputy FBI director," Kirk told USA TODAY.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who formerly served as FBI director, found that the Russian government interfered in the 2016 election in "sweeping and systematic fashion."
"While the investigation identified numerous links between individuals with ties to the Russian government and individuals associated with the Trump Campaign, the evidence was not sufficient to support criminal charges," the Mueller report states.
Pistole and other FBI veterans worry that Bongino doesn't have the internal knowledge or management experience to run such a large organization tasked with important national security and domestic crime-fighting functions.
'The day-to-day operations is what the deputy director has his finger on the pulse of and acts as the advisor to the director,' said Kenneth Gray, who spent 24 years with the FBI and now teaches criminal justice at the University of New Haven. 'If you don't know how the organization works how do you advise?'
Other critics view the appointment as a worrisome sign about Trump's intentions for the agency.
Greg Nunziata, a former GOP Senate aide who now runs the Society for the Rule of Law, said on social media that Bongino is part of the Trump administration "turning federal law enforcement over to unqualified, unprincipled, partisan henchmen."
"It's unacceptable and conservatives need to say so," he added.
U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif, described Bongino on social media as 'another loyalist who won't say no to any immoral or unethical act.'
After leaving the Secret Service, Bongino made three failed runs for Congress before building his media brand. He once hosted shows for Fox News and for the National Rifle Association's defunct TV platform.
Bongino has staunchly defended Trump as a conservative pundit, amplified unfounded concerns about election fraud after Trump lost in 2020 and recently said the president should 'ignore' a court order in a lawsuit challenging one of his administration's early moves.
Recent Bongino show titles include 'The Golden Age of Republican Politics' and 'Trump Keeps Delivering and the Libs Are Seething.'
In picking Bongino for the FBI deputy director job, Trump again is emphasizing loyalty and MAGA credentials over experience.
Bongino's lack of experience is particularly problematic for the position he will fill, Gray said. The FBI director often is consumed with the external aspects of running the agency, while the deputy director manages the internal operations.
Appointing Bongino could hurt morale and sends a signal to agents that 'their opinions don't matter,' Gray said.
Trump has signaled he wants to overhaul the FBI, though. He has complained without evidence that federal law enforcement agencies were 'weaponized' against him. The Trump administration already has forced out the FBI's senior leadership, and Bongino's appointment may be a sign that more big changes are coming.
Pistole hopes the agency stays out of the political fray.
'I don't think the FBI is, or should be, a political arm of the White House,' Pistole said. 'It needs to be as independent as possible. It needs to be focused on upholding the laws or the rule of law.'
Contributing: Bart Jansen and Joey Garrison
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