Dan Bongino, a former US Secret Service agent, author and podcaster, has been chosen to serve as the deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) under Kash Patel.
President Donald Trump took to his Truth Social network to announce Bongino's appointment on Sunday night, saying that it was "great news for law enforcement and American justice".
Bongino will be second-in-command of the US' top federal law enforcement agency after Kash Patel, who was sworn in as the ninth director of the FBI last week. The Indian-origin director has made his intentions with the bureau clear, indicating that he would reshape the agency for good.
As the deputy director, Bongino will also be responsible as a career agent for the bureau's day-to-day operations.
Who is Dan Bongino?
The 49-year-old Dan Bongino has a long-standing career in intelligence and law enforcement agencies in America. He served on the presidential details for the then-Presidents Barack Obama and George W Bush, following which he gained fame as a popular right-wing personality.
He became one of the key faces in the Make America Great Again political movement to spread alleged false information about the 2020 race to the White House.
{{/usCountry}}He became one of the key faces in the Make America Great Again political movement to spread alleged false information about the 2020 race to the White House.
{{/usCountry}}Famous commentator, Rush Limbaugh's death in 2021 bought Bongino a career opportunity in the radio field. For a few years, he was chosen to host a radio show in the same time slot as Limbaugh.
However, he kickstarted his work as a commentator more than a decade ago with Fox News. Bongino even had a Saturday night show with the network for two years, 2021-2023.
He now has his own podcast, the Dan Bongino Show, which according to Spotify, is one of the most popular shows with a ranking at the 56th spot in the US.
Further, the to-be deputy director of the FBI has also served in the New York Police Department between 1997 and 1999, before moving on to the Secret Service.
Additionally, Bongino ran unsuccessfully for a US Senate seat in Maryland in 2012, and then for congressional seats in 2014 and 2016 in Maryland and Florida.
The 49-year-old has a Masters's degree in Psychology from the City University of New York (CUNY) and an MBA from Pennsylvania State University.
Bongino is married to Paula and has two daughters, Isabel and Amelia.
Last year, Bongino called the Secret Service a "failed" agency and criticised it for the two assassination attempts on Trump. He then asked the President to commit to forming a commission for the reform of the Secret Service.
“That guy should have been nowhere near you,” Bongino had remarked about the suspect who officials said camped outside the then-presidential candidate's golf course in Florida's West Palm Beach.
During the same interview with Bongino, Trump also praised the Secret Service agent who spotted the barrel of the man's rifle peaking out of a bush.
Notably, while announcing Bongino's appointment, Trump described him as a "man of incredible love and passion for our Country", saying that he will do an "incredible job" as the deputy director of the FBI.
(with AP inputs)