Former Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey is set to become the sole FBI deputy director with co-director Dan Bongino set to resign next month.
The FBI deputy director is the bureau’s second-in-command, reporting directly to FBI Director Kash Patel. With Bailey assuming the role as the FBI’s only deputy director, he will take on expanded responsibility and play a central role in guiding the bureau’s daily operations and decisions.
Bailey was appointed as Missouri’s attorney general in 2022 and resigned on Sept. 8 to take the role in the FBI.
Bongino announced his planned departure Wednesday in a post on X. He said he was grateful for the “opportunity to serve with purpose.” He did not say when in January he would leave or provide details about his plans.
“Dan did a great job. I think he wants to go back to his show,” President Donald Trump said in response to a reporter’s question about Bongino’s future at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
The Associated Press said Bongino’s resignation was widely expected and marks one of the most high-profile departures during Trump’s administration. FBI leadership has recently faced criticism over Director Kash Patel’s use of a government plane for personal travel and social media posts referencing active investigations.
