“Dan Bongino’s Journey: NYPD Cop to Trump’s FBI Pick”

Early Life and Education

Born on December 4, 1974, in Queens, New York, Daniel John Bongino grew up in a working-class family of Italian descent. His formative years spent in the Glendale neighborhood and education at Archbishop Molly High School shaped his early worldview. Bongino pursued higher education at Queens College, part of the City University of New York, where he earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology.

Later, he earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Pennsylvania State University, demonstrating his commitment to academic advancement that later complemented his professional endeavors. His educational background in psychology likely influenced his ability to understand human behavior, a skill he used in law enforcement and later in the media, where he built a deep connection with audiences through persuasive communication.

Law Enforcement Career: NYPD and Secret Service

Bongino’s career in law enforcement began in 1995 when he joined the NYPD as a police cadet, later becoming a full-time officer in 1997. He gained first-hand experience in urban policing when assigned to the 75th Precinct in East New York, Brooklyn, a high-crime area during the drug war of the 1990s.

In 1999, Bongino moved to the U.S. Secret Service, where he served as a special agent for over a decade. Initially assigned to the New York field office, he investigated financial crimes, and earned an award from the Department of Justice for his work on a white-collar crime case. By 2002, he was teaching criminal investigative methods at the Secret Service Training Center His role involved coordinating high-level security operations, including international trips to Prague, Jakarta, and Afghanistan.

Bongino tenure in the Secret Service, particularly during his presidential run, earned him a reputation for professionalism and dedication, which he leveraged later in his media career to establish credibility with conservative audiences. However, his positive view of Obama in 2011, in which he described him as a “wonderful man” for whom he “would gladly give his life”, differs sharply from his later political statements, indicating a change in his attitude as he entered the public sphere.

Transition to Politics and Media Stardom

After leaving the Secret Service in 2011, Bongino sought a political career, unsuccessfully running for Congress as a Republican three times — in Maryland’s Senate race in 2012, in Maryland’s 6th Congressional District in 2014, and in Florida’s 19th District in 2016. These campaigns, while unsuccessful, raised his public profile and allowed him to refine a conservative platform critical of establishment politics. Frustrated by electoral defeat, Bongino turned to media, launching “The Renegade Republican” podcast, later rebranded as “The Dan Bongino Show.” His media career skyrocketed as he reached out to a growing conservative audience.

He hosted “Unfiltered with Dan Bongino” on Fox News from 2021 to 2023 and launched a pro-Trump news aggregation site, The Bongino Report, in 2019. According to Post rac, his podcast became one of the most popular podcasts in the U.S. and ranked seventh in January 2025. Bongino rhetoric often focused on “occupying the libs”, a phrase he popularized, and he promoted baseless claims about the 2020 election, the FBI’s role in the January 6 Capitol riot, and COVID-19 policies, leading to a ban from YouTube for misinformation. His combative style and loyalty to Trump won him a large following, but he has also been criticized for spreading conspiracy theories, including allegations of a “deep state” targeting Trump.

Appointment as FBI Deputy Director

On February 23, 2025, President Trump announced Bongino’s appointment as FBI Deputy Director, a role that does not require Senate confirmation. This decision, along with the confirmation of Kash Patel as FBI Director, marked a significant break from tradition, as neither had prior FBI experience. The role of Deputy Director, who is responsible for overseeing the bureau’s 38,000 employees and $11 billion budget, is typically held by a professional FBI agent with deep operational expertise. Bongino’s selection, announced on Truth Social, was praised by Trump as “good news for law enforcement and American justice”, highlighting his law enforcement background and willingness to give up his lucrative media career.

Bongino’s appointment drew polarized reactions. Supporters, including conservative figures such as Charlie Kirk, celebrated it as a bold move to reform a bureau they consider politicized. Critics, including Democrats and some Republicans, expressed concern over his lack of FBI experience and history of inflammatory rhetoric. For example, Senator Chris Murphy labeled him a “rookie”, while former FBI officials expressed concern about undermining the agency’s morale.

Bongino previous calls to “disband” the FBI and fire agents involved in the 2022 Mar-a-Lago search further fueled fears that he and Patel could use the FBI to go after Trump’s political opponents.