Dan Bongino to Return to Conservative Media After FBI Deputy Director Exit
Dan Bongino, who left a lucrative conservative media career to serve as FBI deputy director after being recruited by Kash Patel, has announced his planned departure from the FBI role next month. This move follows Bongino's Fox News tenure ending in April 2023, subsequent to Fox's Dominion settlement. Donald Trump publicly suggested that Bongino wants to return to his show, a notion supported by Vince Coglianese, who confirmed Bongino will return to radio, maintaining his 12-3pm slot. Bongino's accompanying podcast is produced by his own Silverloch Productions.
Eric Bolling predicted Bongino would reemerge as a leading conservative podcast voice, while Michael Harrison viewed Bongino's FBI appointment as indicative of the administration's desire to recruit conservative media stars. Laura Ingraham implied that Bongino prefers his media life and will indeed return to it. The piece also notes the revolving door dynamic between conservative media and the Trump administration, citing Sean Hannity’s past role in Bongino’s career.
However, Bongino previously faced backlash over his comments about Jeffrey Epstein's death, raising questions about how he will address any inconsistencies between his FBI tenure and his media persona. Overall, Bongino's departure from the FBI and return to conservative media marks a significant transition between public service and media influence within the conservative ecosystem.
