Possible Departure Within Weeks
Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino is reportedly preparing to leave the bureau, with signs pointing to a possible departure within weeks as he considers a return to conservative media ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
According to The New York Times, Bongino has told associates that his exit could come “as soon as this week or as late as mid-January.” While no formal announcement has been made, people familiar with his plans said he has already begun clearing out his office.
Sources told The Times that Bongino has started shipping personal items and office knick-knacks back to Florida, where he is expected to resume his broadcasting career. The timing would allow him to reenter the media space well before the next election cycle.
Conflicting Accounts From Other Outlets
Fox News Digital reported earlier this week that Bongino has not made a final decision and pushed back on claims that his office is already empty. Those sources acknowledged, however, that Bongino is expected to publicly clarify his plans in the coming weeks.
The conflicting accounts have only fueled speculation about how close Bongino is to stepping down and what form his next move might take.
A Short, Scrutinized Tenure
Bongino, a former conservative commentator and podcaster, joined the FBI earlier this year after being nominated by President Donald Trump. He arrived promising disruption and, according to allies, ideological clarity at an agency long criticized by conservatives for politicization and a lack of accountability.
If confirmed, his departure would mark a brief but closely watched tenure, driven in part by his high profile and his outspoken criticism of the bureau prior to taking the role.
Optics and a Potential Exit Strategy
The Times also reported that Bongino has discussed the optics of his departure with associates. According to the paper, he floated the idea of tying his resignation to a major law enforcement development.
One option reportedly discussed was announcing his exit during a press conference tied to the investigation into who planted pipe bombs near the Democratic and Republican National Committee headquarters on the eve of the Jan. 6 riots in 2021.
Tensions With the Justice Department
Behind the scenes, Bongino has also worked to repair relations with Attorney General Pam Bondi, whom he previously criticized.
In July, Bongino accused Bondi’s department of mishandling the Jeffrey Epstein investigation and reportedly threatened to resign after the Justice Department released a memo stating that the widely discussed “Epstein client list” did not exist.
The Epstein issue had been a major focus of Bongino’s podcast before his FBI appointment, and the memo’s conclusions sparked backlash from parts of the conservative base. According to The Times, Bongino has since sought to smooth tensions with Bondi as he weighs his next move.
What Comes Next
If Bongino steps down, it would mark a short but highly scrutinized run for a figure who entered the bureau with a mandate to challenge the status quo.
A return to media would place him back in familiar territory, where he built a large following by sharply criticizing federal institutions and Democratic leadership.
For now, Bongino’s future remains officially undecided. But with reports of boxes being shipped out and timelines discussed privately, speculation continues to grow that his time at the FBI may be nearing its end — and that his voice could soon reemerge as a prominent presence in conservative media once again.
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