Bongino Fears Retaliation as He Exposes FBI Leak Culture
Dan Bongino says he is bracing for political retaliation and possible legal attacks after leaving the FBI, warning that entrenched figures inside Washington may now target him as he returns to the public spotlight.
The former deputy director made the remarks while also describing what he said was a culture of internal leaks and distrust during his time inside the bureau.
Speaking with Sean Hannity, Bongino said he believes powerful interests angered by recent reforms and investigations could seek revenge now that he is no longer shielded by an official government role.
He suggested the backlash could include attempts to damage his reputation or even push for criminal consequences, saying he would not be surprised if opponents tried to see him behind bars.
Bongino tied those concerns to what he described as resistance from within federal institutions.
He said one group inside the bureau consisted of career agents handling major criminal cases, while another group, in his view, resisted internal reform efforts.
“And then you had this other FBI which were — which was populated with, to say, unfortunately, snakes is being nice,” Bongino said, according to The Hill. “And here’s the problem, Sean. It wasn’t always obvious which FBI they were in.”
He said that uncertainty made it difficult to determine who could be trusted. Bongino explained that he and FBI Director Kash Patel sometimes relied on recommendations from outside allies to identify dependable personnel but said even those efforts occasionally failed when internal information later surfaced in media reports.
“Sometimes they would get it wrong too,” Bongino told Hannity. “It happened a couple times where they’d say ‘Oh, you can trust John Smith,’ right? And you trust John Smith, and then a week later, you see like a leak in the media, and you’d be like, I’m pretty sure that came from John Smith.”
Bongino said he responded to suspected leaks by selectively sharing minor and non-sensitive information about his movements or schedule, then monitoring whether those details later appeared publicly.
He said the practice was meant to narrow down potential sources of unauthorized disclosures.
“So, it was like we would play this — we had to play this little game,” he said.
He also said that working inside the bureau required constant judgment calls about trust and information control, particularly in an environment where he believed internal divisions complicated decision-making.
He described those dynamics as one of the most difficult aspects of his tenure.
Bongino’s departure from the FBI earlier this year came amid reported disagreements with former Attorney General Pam Bondi over the handling of Jeffrey Epstein-related files.
After leaving government service, he returned to his daily show on Rumble and rejoined Fox News as a contributor, quickly reestablishing his presence in political media, the Washington Examiner noted.
He has since used his platform to continue raising concerns about federal law enforcement culture and internal accountability, framing his experience as part of a broader dispute over institutional reform and transparency.
His latest comments are expected to add to ongoing debate over the FBI’s internal operations, leadership direction, and public trust in federal agencies.
Supporters view his account as highlighting systemic problems, while critics argue his claims are unverified and politically motivated.
WATCH:
Continue Scrolling for the Comments
Leave a Comment