Latest news with #deputy director
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bondi, Patel bring in Missouri AG to serve as FBI co-deputy director with Dan Bongino
In what appears to be a first for the FBI, Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel announced Monday that Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey will serve as co-deputy director of the agency after a rift arose last month with Deputy Director Dan Bongino. Bailey will serve beside Bongino, Bondi and Patel told Fox News Digital, which was first to report the announcement. Bongino was tapped as the FBI's sole deputy director earlier this year and caused a stir in July when he largely excommunicated himself from most of his colleagues following a significant rift with Bondi over the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. 'I am thrilled to welcome Andrew Bailey as Co-Deputy Director of the FBI,' Bondi told Fox News Digital. 'He has served as a distinguished state attorney general and is a decorated war veteran, bringing expertise and dedication to service. His leadership and commitment to country will be a tremendous asset as we work together to advance President Trump's mission.' Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a post on social media, 'Thrilled to welcome Andrew Bailey as our new FBI Co-Deputy Director. As Missouri's Attorney General, he took on the swamp, fought weaponized government, and defended the Constitution.' The deputy director historically manages the bureau's day-to-day operations. It is not immediately clear how Bongino and Bailey will split the duties of co-deputy directors. Bailey was under consideration to lead the FBI before the president's inauguration. He interviewed for the job with Trump late last year in Mar-a-Lago around the same time Patel interviewed for the position. Ultimately, Trump wasn't impressed with the Missouri official, CNN reported, and said that Bailey did not fit the mold of the legal bulldog the president-elect wanted to helm the FBI. Bongino's future in the agency has been in question since the internecine squabble over the DOJ's handling of the Epstein files that Trump himself wanted tamped down. 'To Missouri, thank you,' Bailey wrote on social media. 'My tenure as Attorney General has been the honor of my professional career, but what has made it truly meaningful has been the opportunity to serve my home state. Together, we have defended the rule of law and safeguarded our freedoms. I am forever grateful.' Bailey, in a statement announcing his resignation as Missouri Attorney General, said, 'I extend my deepest gratitude to President Trump and U.S. Attorney General Bondi for the privilege to join in their stated mission to Make America Safe Again.' Following the news of Bailey's appointment, Bongino posted on social media, 'Welcome' with three American flag emojis. This story has been updated with additional information. CNN's Josh Campbell contributed to this report.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Trump sends another deputy director to work alongside Dan Bongino at embattled FBI
President Trump has appointed another pair of hands to assist Kash Patel as a second deputy director at the FBI. Missouri 's Attorney General Andrew Bailey has been hired as co-deputy director alongside Dan Bongino within the department, according to Fox News. Patel and Bongino have been under immense pressure following a decision by Attorney General Pam Bondi to not release the Epstein files and mass departures at the agency. Bailey has been recognized as a 'decorated war veteran' who made sweeping changes during his time in Missouri. In the role, he launched an anti-human trafficking task force and addressed more than 1,100 cases in the state. He also worked through the backlog of Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence (SAFE) kits, improving the prosecution rates for sexual assault cases in the state. During his time as Missouri Attorney General, Bailey's office saw a spike of 133 percent in trial court criminal prosecutions. 'I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to serve as the Co-Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigatio n,' Bailey told Fox in a statement. 'I extend my deepest gratitude to President Trump, U.S. Attorney General Bondi and Director Patel for the privilege to join in their stated mission to Make America Safe Again.' His formidable resume made him an ideal candidate for the role, Attorney General Pam Bondi said as she celebrated the appointment. 'I am thrilled to welcome Andrew Bailey as Co-Deputy Director of the FBI,' Bondi said. 'He has served as a distinguished state attorney general and is a decorated war veteran, bringing expertise and dedication to service. 'His leadership and commitment to country will be a tremendous asset as we work together to advance President Trump's mission.' And Patel, who has been under immense pressure since the bungled Epstein files release, said Bailey would be an 'integral part of this important mission' of restoring America. Bailey's appointment comes after fears just last month that Bongino was on his way out of the department after the botched Epstein saga. Bongino, a longtime leading proponent of theories about Epstein 's client list, failed to show up to work after Bondi and Trump assured the public no such list exists. At the time it was reported he had threatened to resign over the handling of the investigation, which sparked mutiny within the MAGA ranks and turned some of Trump's most loyal soldiers against him. But Bongino, a podcaster who was picked out of political obscurity to help lead the new-and-improved FBI, reportedly returned to work the following week under a cloud of uncertainty about his future at the agency. By Monday morning, officials were starting to squirm and feared that Bongino would be a no-show yet again, but he arrived in the office a few hours later than expected. Administration insiders claim Trump was quietly furious that one of his hand-picked appointees would so publicly go against him. In spite of the controversy, since Patel took over at the FBI, the department has made 19,000 arrests nationwide, which is already double those made in the entirety of 2024. At least 270 of those were human traffickers, and 1,600 were arrested for violent crimes against children. Since Patel took over at the FBI, the department has made 19,000 arrests nationwide, which is already double those made in the entirety of 2024 At least 1,000 have affiliations with foreign terrorist organizations, and three were on the Top 10 Most Wanted list. An administration official told Fox Trump 'wants to see bad guys prosecuted, illegals deported, and corrupt politicians held accountable.' 'We need all hands on deck to accomplish all of these important goals,' the official said. 'Andrew Bailey will serve as another set of credible, experienced hands to help Attorney General Bondi and FBI Director Patel carry out the President's mission.'
CNN
2 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Bondi, Patel bring in Missouri AG to serve as FBI co-deputy director with Dan Bongino
In what appears to be a first for the FBI, Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel announced Monday that Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey will serve as co-deputy director of the agency after a rift arose last month with Deputy Director Dan Bongino. Bailey will serve beside Bongino, Bondi and Patel told Fox News Digital, which was first to report the announcement. Bongino was tapped as the FBI's sole deputy director earlier this year and caused a stir in July when he largely excommunicated himself from most of his colleagues following a significant rift with Bondi over the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. 'I am thrilled to welcome Andrew Bailey as Co-Deputy Director of the FBI,' Bondi told Fox News Digital. 'He has served as a distinguished state attorney general and is a decorated war veteran, bringing expertise and dedication to service. His leadership and commitment to country will be a tremendous asset as we work together to advance President Trump's mission.' The deputy director historically manages the bureau's day-to-day operations. It is not immediately clear how Bongino and Bailey will split the duties of co-deputy directors. Bailey was under consideration to lead the FBI before the president's inauguration. He interviewed for the job with Trump late last year in Mar-a-Lago around the same time Patel interviewed for the position. Ultimately, Trump wasn't impressed with the Missouri official, CNN reported, and said that Bailey did not fit the mold of the legal bulldog the president-elect wanted to helm the FBI. Bongino's future in the agency has been in question since the internecine squabble over the DOJ's handling of the Epstein files that Trump himself wanted tamped down. 'To Missouri, thank you,' Bailey wrote on social media. 'My tenure as Attorney General has been the honor of my professional career, but what has made it truly meaningful has been the opportunity to serve my home state. Together, we have defended the rule of law and safeguarded our freedoms. I am forever grateful.' Following the news of Bailey's appointment, Bongino posted on social media, 'Welcome' with three American flag emojis. This story has been updated with additional information. CNN's Josh Campbell contributed to this report.
CNN
2 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Missouri AG Andrew Bailey to serve as FBI co-deputy director alongside Dan Bongino
In what appears to be a first for the FBI, Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel announced Monday that Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey will serve as co-deputy director of the agency after a rift arose last month with Deputy Director Dan Bongino. Bailey will serve beside Bongino, Bondi and Patel told Fox News Digital, which was first to report the announcement. Bongino was tapped as the FBI's sole deputy director earlier this year and caused a stir in July when he largely excommunicated himself from most of his colleagues following a significant rift with Bondi over the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. 'I am thrilled to welcome Andrew Bailey as Co-Deputy Director of the FBI,' Bondi told Fox News Digital. 'He has served as a distinguished state attorney general and is a decorated war veteran, bringing expertise and dedication to service. His leadership and commitment to country will be a tremendous asset as we work together to advance President Trump's mission.' Bailey was under consideration to lead the FBI before the president's inauguration. He interviewed for the job with Trump late last year in Mar-a-Lago around the same time Patel interviewed for the position. Ultimately, Trump wasn't impressed with the Missouri official, CNN reported, and said that Bailey did not fit the mold of the legal bulldog the president-elect wanted to helm the FBI. Bongino's future in the agency has been in question since the internecine squabble over the DOJ's handling of the Epstein files that Trump himself wanted tamped down. 'To Missouri, thank you,' Bailey wrote on social media. 'My tenure as Attorney General has been the honor of my professional career, but what has made it truly meaningful has been the opportunity to serve my home state. Together, we have defended the rule of law and safeguarded our freedoms. I am forever grateful.' Following the news of Bailey's appointment, Bongino posted on social media, 'Welcome' with three American flag emojis.
CNN
2 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Bondi, Patel bring in Missouri AG to serve as FBI co-deputy director with Dan Bongino
In what appears to be a first for the FBI, Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel announced Monday that Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey will serve as co-deputy director of the agency after a rift arose last month with Deputy Director Dan Bongino. Bailey will serve beside Bongino, Bondi and Patel told Fox News Digital, which was first to report the announcement. Bongino was tapped as the FBI's sole deputy director earlier this year and caused a stir in July when he largely excommunicated himself from most of his colleagues following a significant rift with Bondi over the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. 'I am thrilled to welcome Andrew Bailey as Co-Deputy Director of the FBI,' Bondi told Fox News Digital. 'He has served as a distinguished state attorney general and is a decorated war veteran, bringing expertise and dedication to service. His leadership and commitment to country will be a tremendous asset as we work together to advance President Trump's mission.' The deputy director historically manages the bureau's day-to-day operations. It is not immediately clear how Bongino and Bailey will split the duties of co-deputy directors. Bailey was under consideration to lead the FBI before the president's inauguration. He interviewed for the job with Trump late last year in Mar-a-Lago around the same time Patel interviewed for the position. Ultimately, Trump wasn't impressed with the Missouri official, CNN reported, and said that Bailey did not fit the mold of the legal bulldog the president-elect wanted to helm the FBI. Bongino's future in the agency has been in question since the internecine squabble over the DOJ's handling of the Epstein files that Trump himself wanted tamped down. 'To Missouri, thank you,' Bailey wrote on social media. 'My tenure as Attorney General has been the honor of my professional career, but what has made it truly meaningful has been the opportunity to serve my home state. Together, we have defended the rule of law and safeguarded our freedoms. I am forever grateful.' Following the news of Bailey's appointment, Bongino posted on social media, 'Welcome' with three American flag emojis. This story has been updated with additional information. CNN's Josh Campbell contributed to this report.
