Dan Bongino has suggested that Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) should be worried about his future. A day after making these remarks on his podcast, Bongino was appointed deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, leading many to believe his statement was a cryptic warning of potential consequences for Schiff.
Bongino’s Warning to Schiff
Bongino, 50, made it clear that he is not willing to “move on” from what he described as the baseless Trump-Russia collusion hoax orchestrated by Schiff and other Trump opponents during the former president’s first term.
“I’m not letting this go. I want to find out what happened because it can never happen again,” said Bongino, a former Secret Service agent. “We had the FBI, in conjunction with the Department of Justice, officials in Congress, foreign governments, and intel agencies fabricate a story that could have caused serious and long-term harm to international relations with a nuclear-powered adversary.”
Schiff’s Role in the Russia Collusion Allegations
In 2017, while serving in the U.S. House, Schiff actively supported the investigation into alleged connections between the Trump campaign and Russian agents. He claimed to have seen “more than circumstantial evidence” of collusion. Even after Republicans, who controlled the House, closed the investigation, Schiff continued pushing for further inquiries.
However, the allegations ultimately collapsed with the May 2023 release of Special Counsel John Durham’s report, which found no evidence of coordination between Trump’s campaign and Russian sources. Durham criticized the FBI for a “lack of analytical rigor” in pursuing the claims.
Trump’s Strategic Move: Bongino Joins the FBI Leadership
Bongino remains firm in his stance against those who pushed the collusion narrative.
“You do not get to change the course of electoral politics by fabricating a story, hijacking the justice system to give a patina of truth to a fake story,” he asserted. “Who was the ringmaster of that circus? Yes, Adam Schiff, and no, I’m not letting it go.”
On Sunday, Trump announced via Truth Social that Bongino would serve as Kash Patel’s deputy at the FBI. Both Patel and Bongino are considered Trump loyalists, and their appointment suggests a broader plan to reform the Bureau, which Trump has long accused of being politically weaponized against him.
The FBI’s 2022 raid on Mar-a-Lago in search of classified documents was a pivotal moment in Trump’s legal battles. The case was later dismissed, but it fueled his claims of government overreach.
Bongino’s Criticism of Secret Service and Trump’s Endorsement
Bongino, who served in the U.S. Secret Service from 1999 to 2011, has also been a vocal critic of his former agency, particularly after the July 2024 assassination attempt on Trump. His pointed criticism contributed to the resignation of the Secret Service director and the appointment of Sean Curran, who previously led Trump’s personal protective detail.
Trump praised Bongino’s oversight skills and willingness to leave his successful podcast career to serve in a high-stakes role.
“Dan is a highly respected Special Agent with the United States Secret Service and one of the most successful podcasters in the country, something he is willing to give up to serve,” Trump wrote. “Working with our great new United States Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and Director Patel, Fairness, Justice, Law and Order will be brought back to America, and quickly. Congratulations Dan!”
