Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino Reveals He Is Quitting Job to Return To Florida—After Admitting Role Had Taken Serious Toll on His Marriage

Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino has announced that he will step down from his high-profile role in the New Year—amid claims that he plans to return to Florida, where sources say he is going to resume his job as a pro-Trump broadcaster.

Bongino, 51, shared the news in a post on his X account soon after rumors emerged that he was planning a departure from the intelligence agency.

The father of two—who has been open about the strain the job has placed on his marriage—thanked President Donald Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and FBI Director Kash Patel, before voicing his gratitude to the American people for allowing him to "serve."

"I will be leaving my position with the FBI in January," he wrote. "I want to thank President Trump, AG Bondi, and Director Patel for the opportunity to serve with purpose.

"Most importantly, I want to thank you, my fellow Americans, for the privilege to serve you. God bless America, and all those who defend Her."

His confirmation of his departure from the FBI was shared within hours of The New York Times reporting that Washington, DC, was abuzz with speculation about Bongino's future in the FBI, with three insiders telling the outlet that he is preparing to quit "as soon as this week or as late as mid-January."

Those same insiders further alleged that the father of two has already begun packing up his office, "sending office knickknacks and other possessions back to Florida," where his wife, Paula, still resides.

He reportedly told his "associates" at the agency that he was considering making an announcement about his departure at a press conference held earlier this month, when it was revealed that a suspect had been arrested as part of an investigation into pipe bombs that were planted in DC on the eve of the Jan. 6 riots in 2021.

However, no such announcement was made—although MS NOW, formerly known as MSNBC, reports that Bongino, 51, has told his colleagues at the FBI that he will not return to bureau headquarters for the remainder of the month and will officially announce his resignation early in the New Year.

"Bongino told his team and some senior FBI officials that he tentatively planned to announce his departure on Dec. 19, according to four people," the outlet stated. "Several people said some of Bongino’s personal effects have been cleared out of his office as of last week."

Bongino was chosen by President Trump to serve under FBI Director Patel in February, when he was described as an "incredible" man by the commander in chief.

At the time, Trump, 79, gushed about Bongino's commitment to his country, praising him as “a man of incredible love and passion for our Country” in a post shared on his Truth Social platform. He branded the announcement “great news for Law Enforcement and American Justice.”

However, the role appears to have taken a toll on Bongino, who quit his popular conservative podcast, "The Dan Bongino Show," to take on the FBI job.

In May, during an appearance on "Fox & Friends," he admitted that he was struggling with living apart from his wife of more than 20 years, with whom he shares two daughters, explaining that the separation felt like a "divorce" in some ways.

"I gave up everything for this. I mean, you know, my wife is struggling," he said. "I'm not a victim, I'm not James Comey, I'm fine. I did this and I'm proud I did it."

He added: "I stare at these four walls all day in DC, you know, by myself, divorced from my wife. Not divorced, but I mean, separated. And it's hard. We love each other and it's hard to be apart."

Bongino hit back at any suggestion that he and Patel were not giving their all to the job, insisting that the two of them are in their offices from the early hours of the morning until late at night.

In an interview with Fox News host—and fellow Florida resident—Sean Hannity, Bongino teased a return to his former role in the spotlight, while attempting to reassure his podcast fans that he has not changed his opinions or political stance, but rather backed off from sharing them so publicly.

"I was paid in the past, Sean, for my opinions, that’s clear, and one day I’ll be back in that space," he said. "But that’s not what I’m paid for now. I’m paid to be your deputy director, and we base investigations on facts."

Before taking on the role in the FBI, the political commentator had enjoyed a lucrative career as a conservative activist, appearing on several news channels, while also hosting his own podcast, which saw him amass a legion of fans.

However, Trump's decision to appoint Bongino as the deputy director of the agency raised some eyebrows—largely as a result of his national security inexperience when compared with those who had filled the role before him.

Still, Bongino had ample expertise working within political administrations, having previously served as a member of the U.S. Secret Service under Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, before he shifted his views and became a popular Republican figure.

Bongino and his wife were residing in Florida with their two children when he landed the FBI job—which required him to relocate to the nation's capital, while his family remained behind in the Sunshine State.

It appeared as though the father of two might have been ready to commit to a life in DC when he sold his primary Florida residence for $3.65 million in March of this year, having previously listed the property for just under $4 million in October 2024.

Records show Bongino and his spouse purchased the four-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom Sewalls Point, FL, home for $1.55 million in 2019.

It is unclear whether they couple has bought a new property in Florida since selling the dwelling.

The commentator also owns a home in Maryland, where it was announced the FBI would move to in 2023, before those plans were scrapped by the Trump administration earlier this year.

Bongino was based in Maryland for several years before relocating to Florida and even ran for the state Senate in 2012, one year after he quit his position as a Secret Service agent. He had joined the agency in 1999.

His move to Maryland came in 2002, when he left his hometown of New York City to take up a role as an instructor at the Secret Service Training Academy in Beltsville, MD.

Bongino has maintained a Maryland home ever since, most recently snapping up a property for $543,000 in Severna Park in 2020.