Latest news with #Bongino
Axios
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Axios
Patel and Bongino's choppy transition from roasting the FBI to running it
Kash Patel and Dan Bongino spent years torching the American security state for concealing nefarious secrets about Jeffrey Epstein, Jan. 6, the "Russia hoax" and the assassination attempts against President Trump. Now they're not only inside the gates, they're in charge of the FBI — and serving a president who distrusts the bureau even more than they do. The big picture: Patel and Bongino's recent Fox News interviews, and sources familiar with their reception inside the bureau, make clear the difficulties they face in maintaining confidence with three key audiences: their fans, their employees, and the president. 1. Some followers and fellow MAGA media figures who revered Patel and Bongino for pillorying the "Deep State" were aghast by their recent conspiracy-quashing comments, particularly that Epstein really killed himself. "People are pissed. They feel like Dan and Kash aren't doing the job, that they're beholden to some unseen powers," MAGA-aligned podcaster Tim Pool said Wednesday, adding that he "largely" still trusts the pair. Bongino — who left a lucrative podcasting gig to be Patel's deputy — told "Fox and Friends" he was finding it difficult not to be able to reveal information about ongoing investigations, and to be criticized by those who want to "divorce us from the people." He and Patel, who parlayed his reputation as one of Trump 1.0's most aggressive lieutenants into MAGA media stardom, have deep wells of goodwill from the base, despite the impatience for disclosures and deep state arrests. 2. The FBI's 38,000-strong workforce was never going to immediately embrace the idea of a couple of its biggest antagonists calling the shots, but it's been a tumultuous few months. Bureau veterans have privately mocked Bongino's emphasis on ideas like adding pull-ups to the fitness test and MMA-style training at Quantico. Some have pushed back on more substantive decisions, such as devoting scores of agents to partnering with ICE on immigration-related arrests, at the expense of other investigative priorities. Patel told Fox News that rank-and-file FBI employees are on board with its mission, they're clearing out the old leadership, and recruiting is at a five-year high. FBI spokespeople have pushed back on stories about Patel working remotely from Las Vegas, taking government planes to visit his girlfriend in Nashville, or downsizing the early morning briefings that past directors have taken. 3. While Trump has been publicly supportive, he did say it was "a little bit hard to believe" assertions from Patel and other senior law enforcement figures that there was no wider conspiracy behind the assassination attempts against him. Democrats such as Sen. Dick Durbin have claimed that because loyalty to Trump earned Patel and Bongino theirs posts, they'll lack the independence of past directors and simply say what Trump wants to hear or tailor investigations to suit the White House. What they're saying: "Many of these comments are from the same individuals responsible for the shameful politicization of the FBI in the first place. Their criticisms play no factor as we work to clean up the mess they helped leave behind," FBI spokesperson Ben Williamson told Axios. "FBI Director Patel and Deputy Director Bongino are doing an incredible job protecting the American people and bringing back law and order, justice and fairness to America," said White House spokesperson Harrison Fields. Driving the news: Patel and Bongino acknowledged in their recent flurry of interviews that their supporters want them to clean house, lock up Trump antagonists like ex-director James Comey, and reveal more about the malfeasance they and their MAGA media colleagues have long alleged the FBI engaged in — including fomenting the Jan. 6 riot and conspiring against Trump. Bongino made a plea for time, suggesting the skullduggery ran so deep that it would take months to uncover. He also claimed they had just discovered bags of hidden files from the Comey era, and would be prioritizing cases like the discovery of cocaine in the Biden White House. Williamson said Patel and Bongino "have committed to working with Congress to provide the American people the accountable and transparent FBI they deserve," and are "grateful for our interagency partners and the leadership of this administration in that pursuit." Zoom in: Bongino acknowledged the transition from flamethrower to G-man has been jarring. "Part of you dies a little bit when you see all this stuff from behind the scenes," he said on "Fox and Friends". He said a former listener told him "I miss you," and that he replied, "You know, I miss me too." He made clear he hates sitting in his FBI office all day and not being able to "swing back" at his critics. "It's difficult for me to not be able to respond like I used to, but there'll be a day, there'll be a day," Bongino said. "I'll be back one day."
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino claims bureau ‘closing in' on suspects who planted Jan. 6 DC pipe bombs
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino made headlines this week when he revealed the bureau was "closing in" on suspects involved in planting two pipe bombs near the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, a sign that the bureau may soon solve the nagging, four-year mystery. "The second we got in, I put a team on it and I said, 'I want answers on this,'" Bongino told "Fox & Friends." "And I'm pretty confident that we're closing in on some suspects." Law enforcement discovered the two pipe bombs near the Republican and Democratic National Committees' headquarters around the same time that thousands of rioters a few blocks away began to descend on the Capitol in protest of the 2020 election results. A faction of President Donald Trump's base has since raised questions about the timing of the pipe bomb incident and security failures surrounding it and speculated that the Biden administration was not forthright to the public about the facts of the case. Prior to being sworn in, Bongino was a leading voice perpetuating that notion. Fbi 'Closing In' On Suspects In Case Of Dc Pipe Bombs Placed On Eve Of Jan 6 A former Secret Service agent and podcast host, Bongino told listeners of his popular right-wing show that the FBI lied about the pipe bomb incident because the bureau did not want people to know it was an "inside job." Read On The Fox News App Now as deputy director, Bongino is facing pressure from supporters and critics alike to release new details about the case. Video footage released by the Fbi shows an unidentified person placing the pipe bombs near the two headquarters more than 16 hours before law enforcement found them. The suspect is seen wearing a gray hoodie, Nike Air Max Speed Turf sneakers, a face mask, glasses, and gloves. Fbi Reopening Investigation Into Cocaine Found At Biden White House Prior to the administration change in January, the FBI also unveiled a minor last-minute detail that the suspect's height was about 5-foot-7. A woman who is a Capitol Hill resident alerted a security guard that she spotted the first pipe bomb in an alley behind the RNC headquarters while she was out retrieving her laundry around 1 p.m. Security footage showed her running from the area of the washer and dryer and notifying the guard. That set off a furious search that led officers at the DNC headquarters to discover a second pipe bomb there. A Department of Homeland Security (Dhs) inspector general report published last year revealed the two explosive devices were "viable" and "could have detonated, causing innocent bystanders to be seriously injured or killed." Fbi Releases Video Showing January 2021 Pipe Bomb Suspect Planting Device Outside Dnc, Rnc Offices In Dc The bombs included one-hour timers. An FBI official said they did not believe the timers could have detonated the bombs since the time had already elapsed when the bombs were found, according to the DHS report. That report and an investigative report released by House Republicans revealed that then-Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at one point came within feet of the pipe bomb by the DNC. The FBI has said it has received more than 600 tips, and it continues to offer a $500,000 reward for any successful leads. The House Republicans' report noted the FBI initially investigated a person who searched on the internet for "pipe bomb DC" and a person who had recently purchased the Nike shoes seen in the surveillance footage. The report noted, however, that the pace of the FBI's inquiry dropped off after about a month as a result of leads drying article source: FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino claims bureau 'closing in' on suspects who planted Jan. 6 DC pipe bombs
Mint
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Mint
Kash Patel not partying in Vegas? Deputy claims FBI director spends 13 hours in office
Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel spends nearly 13 hours in the office, his deputy has said, quashing all rumours that the FBI chief is often seen at nighclubs in Las Vegas. In an interview with Fox News, Dan Bongino gave a glimpse into the lives of FBI officials, including himself and Patel. Of Kash Patel, who has been accused of spending more time at nightclubs rather than the FBI headquarters, Bongino said he is 'there all day'. 'Kash is in the office by 6 am and rarely leaves before 7 pm If you think we are there for tea and crumpets… I mean, Kash is there all day,' Bongino said. He said that he goes to the office at 7:30 am as he does not use his apartment gym. Don Bongino also addressed the personal cost that comes with the job, revealing he is separated from his wife. '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.' 'My wife is struggling. But I am not a victim. I am not James Comey (former FBI director). I did this and I am proud that I did it,' the deputy director of the FBI said. Comey had earlier raised questions about Patel and Bongino's leadership. Addressing this, the FBI offcial said, 'There are lots of people in the FBI who know what they're doing. I hope these two guys are letting them guide them.' FBI director Kash Patel had earlier been accused of spending more of his time in nightclubs than at his workplace. Frank Figliuzzi, who was FBI's Assistant Director for Counterintelligence under Robert Mueller, claimed that US President Donald Trump's high-ranking officer is seldom spotted at the Federal Bureau of Investigation's office. However, Kash Patel has often been spotted spending his time elsewhere, the former FBI officer claimed. 'Reportedly, he's been visible at nightclubs far more than he has been on the seventh floor of the Hoover building,' Figliuzzi told Morning Joe co-host Jonathan Lemaire earlier this month. Figliuzzi further claimed that Kash Patel has been dividing his time between Washington DC and his home in Las Vegas.
NDTV
18 hours ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Kash Patel Works For 13 Hours Daily, His Deputy Says Amid Nightclub Row
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel arrives at the office at 6 am and rarely leaves before 7 pm. About himself, Deputy Director Dan Bongino said while refuted reports questioning the leadership style of his boss. In a recent appearance on Fox News, Bongino described the personal sacrifices that come with the job. 'My wife is struggling. But I am not a victim. I am not James Comey (former FBI director). I did this and I am proud that I did it,' he said. In a bizarre moment, Dan Bongino sobbed on FOX and Friends: "I gave up everything for this, I mean, my wife is struggling and I stare at the four walls all day in DC, you know, by myself...." Hmm. So the big, strong Alpha male can't handle the job a woman previously filled. — MP Arizona☀️????️????????????????????????????????????????????????????????♍️???? (@AzPetrich) May 29, 2025 Comey had raised questions about Kash Patel and Dan Bongino's leadership. "There are lots of people in the FBI who know what they're doing. I hope these two guys are letting them guide them," he told CNN. Comey, a strong critic of Donald Trump, was fired by the President in 2017. Both Bongino and Patel have pushed back against criticism that the FBI's current leadership has lost touch with its mission, especially following delays in the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Bongino also addressed claims that Patel was disengaged from his responsibilities. Without directly naming critics, he said, 'If you think we are there for tea and crumpets...I mean, Kash is there all day.' He added that their offices are so close that he can even hear when Patel turns on a faucet. '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. We love each other, but it's hard to be apart,' Bongino said. Bongino's remarks come at a crucial time, as Kash Patel faces accusations that he prioritises social outings over his FBI duties. Earlier this month, former FBI counterintelligence chief Frank Figliuzzi suggested on MSNBC that Patel has been seen at nightclubs more often than at the Hoover Building's seventh floor. Figliuzzi also claimed that Patel's intelligence briefings have been reduced from daily to possibly twice a week. There have also been reports that Patel is splitting his time between Washington, DC, and Las Vegas, where he reportedly has a residence. Kashyap 'Kash' Patel was appointed FBI Director in February this year. Born in New York in 1980 to Gujarati parents, Patel spent part of his early years in East Africa before returning to the US. He completed his schooling at Garden City High School in Long Island.
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Dan Bongino actually has to do work at the FBI — and he doesn't like it
Dan Bongino, the deputy director of the FBI, appeared to become emotional on live national television Thursday. Not while recalling some gut-wrenching FBI child exploitation case, or a grisly mass shooting crime scene. No, Bongino, a former right-wing podcaster and conspiracy theorist, who is typically a tough-guy poser, went on the Fox News' morning show 'Fox and Friends'to whine about how taxing his new gig is. There's more here than meets the watery eye. 'I gave up everything for this,' he lamented before adding that FBI Director Kash Patel typically works 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and that 'I'm in there at 7:30 in the morning.' Bongino said, 'I stare at these four walls all day in D.C., by myself, divorced from my wife — not divorced, but I mean separated, divorced — and it's hard. I mean, we love each other, and it's hard to be apart.' After saying that the job has been tough on his family, he said, 'People ask all the time, 'Do you like it?' No. I don't.' Cry me a river. Bongino is describing what anyone in a senior FBI leadership role is expected to endure, particularly at headquarters. I've been there, done that. As an inspector and then chief inspector based in Washington, D.C., I had to live apart from family, travel extensively and fly home whenever a free weekend permitted. When I was named an assistant director, we agreed to let our son finish his last year of high school and then my wife joined me in D.C. And my experience was easier than senior executives at even higher levels. Entering the J. Edgar Hoover building before sunrise and leaving after sundown was the norm — for all of us. Such personal and professional sacrifice isn't limited to executives. Agents and professional specialists throughout the FBI's field offices routinely miss family events, their kids' birthday parties and games, and have their vacations and holidays disrupted. The same is true for career government servants across our institutions. Welcome to the real world, Mr. Bongino. It's not hard to surmise why Bongino felt it necessary to broadcast how hard he and Director Patel are working. Both are under increasing pressure from the Trump base to deliver on the conspiracy theories they promoted before Trump hired them and to expose the so-called deep state cover-ups they claimed existed. Moreover, Patel has been taking some heat lately on whether he's taking his job seriously — especially after he showed up unprepared for a budget hearing in Congress. Bongino seems particularly touchy about how he's perceived. When he got wind that The New York Times might publish an embarrassing account of how he was injured trying to grapple with an FBI instructor at the bureau's academy, Bongino tried to get out in front of it by issuing his own statement on X that confirmed he was no match for the FBI agent and that he got hurt. He said it was 'not an 'injury' but a bit of swelling in my right elbow.' Some of this transparent attempt at PR might be humorous if it weren't consistent with Trump world's misunderstanding of sacrifice. The president himself has equated the hard work he says he does with sacrifice and, most disgracefully, said it in response to a Gold Star family who said he'd 'sacrificed nothing.' And at a public event this Memorial Day, President Trump extolled his own accomplishments in office. In his 2019 book 'Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us,' Donald Trump Jr. wrote about Arlington National Cemetery this way: 'As we drove past the rows of white grave markers … I also thought of … all the sacrifices we'd have to make — giving up a huge chunk of our business and all international deals." The president's net worth has doubled to $5.4 billion since he ran for re-election. Much of that increased wealth is coming from the Trump family's engagements in the Middle East, including with an Emirates company that struck a deal to purchase $2 billion of a Trump family organization digital coin. While the FBI's deputy director bemoans his lot in life, and the president and his family get richer while pretending they've made substantial sacrifices for the country, perhaps they should consider the plight of Americans who work two jobs to make ends meet, the losses suffered by Ukrainians fighting for freedom, the horrors experienced by Israeli hostages and their families, and the agony of children in Gaza begging for a meal. Hard work is admirable, but if you're going to complain about it, you'll get little sympathy from me. This article was originally published on
