Bongino and Patel Take Over FBI Amid Controversy Over January 6 Theories
Bongino’s Controversial Claims and New Role
Dan Bongino, the incoming FBI Deputy Director, stated on his podcast earlier this year that the FBI was complicit in planting pipe bombs near the DNC and RNC headquarters before the January 6 Capitol riot. “I believe the FBI knows the identity of this pipe bomber on January 6th, four years ago, and just doesn’t wanna tell us ’cause it was an inside job,” Bongino declared, making the extraordinary claim about the agency he’s now poised to help lead.
The former Secret Service agent and NYPD officer has built a significant media presence as one of conservative media’s most prominent voices, with his podcast ranking among the most popular on Apple Podcast charts. Bongino went further in his accusations, suggesting the FBI doctored surveillance footage of the pipe bomb suspect and might eventually cover up the incident as a “training exercise gone wrong” if the truth emerged.
Inside Job Theories and FBI Accountability
The unsolved case of the January 6 pipe bombs has fueled numerous conspiracy theories across the political spectrum, with the FBI still offering a reward for information about the perpetrator four years later. A Department of Homeland Security report released earlier this year revealed that then-Vice President-elect Kamala Harris was near one of the devices placed near the Democratic National Committee headquarters, adding to questions about security failures that day.
Bongino’s skepticism toward the FBI began intensifying in May 2017 after the appointment of a special counsel to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election. His views align with those of Kash Patel, Trump’s pick for FBI Director, who has expressed similar theories about the pipe bomber case and other aspects of the January 6 investigations, positioning the two men as potential reformers of an institution they’ve long criticized.
Reshaping the FBI Under Trump’s Second Term
The Trump administration has defended Bongino’s appointment, with a White House spokesperson stating: “President Trump brilliantly selected Dan Bongino—a highly-qualified former NYPD police officer and U.S. Secret Service agent—as the next Deputy Director of the FBI. As President Trump said, Bongino will work alongside Director Kash Patel to bring law and order, fairness, and justice back to America, and his willingness to give up his wildly popular podcast shows his dedication to serving our country.”
Both Bongino and Patel are well-known figures in MAGA circles who have consistently challenged what they view as corruption within federal law enforcement agencies. Bongino has published multiple books alleging the existence of an anti-Trump cabal within the government, including titles focusing on what he describes as a “deep state” conspiracy against the president, establishing himself as a vocal critic of the very institution he’s now positioned to help lead.
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