Dan Bongino left the FBI in early January 2026 after less than ten months as deputy director. He relaunched his daily podcast on 2 February 2026, became a paid Fox News contributor on 9 February, and now hosts two Westwood One radio shows. He announced the exit himself on 17 December 2025.
Why Did Dan Bongino Leave the FBI?
Bongino framed the departure as a planned one-year stint, and no fuller official reason was ever published.
He announced it on X on 17 December 2025, and the exit took effect in the first week of January 2026. “It’s been an incredible year thanks to the leadership and decisiveness of President Trump,” he wrote. “It was the honor of a lifetime to work with Director Patel, and to serve you, the American people. See you on the other side.”
President Trump’s comment was brief: “Dan did a great job. I think he wants to go back to his show.” NBC News reported in February 2026 that Bongino had always intended to stay in the job for about a year.
The strain of the role was something he raised himself. In May 2025 he said “I gave up everything for this”, describing long Washington hours away from his family.
Reporting through 2025 also linked his position to a dispute with then-Attorney General Pam Bondi over the handling of files from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. Bongino spent much of his first podcast episode back defending the FBI’s handling of those files, calling the situation a “level 10 problem” and saying it “was never going to please everyone”.
Beyond that, the record thins into commentary. On 1 July 2026, Tucker Carlson said on his own show that something at the FBI “just broke him as a man”. Bongino has not endorsed that claim, and no official account supports it.
Where Can You Hear Dan Bongino Now?
He is on air daily in three places: a Cumulus podcast, two Westwood One radio shows, and Fox News as a contributor.
- The Dan Bongino Show: relaunched on the Cumulus Podcast Network on 2 February 2026, two hours, weekdays from 10am to 12pm ET. The first episode back included an interview with President Trump.
- The Bongino Report PM: launched on Westwood One on Monday 24 August 2026, three hours, weekdays from 3pm to 6pm ET. Shawn Farash hosts the first hour alone, and Bongino takes the final two.
- The Bongino Report AM: launched on Westwood One on Monday 21 September 2026, one hour, weekdays from 5am to 6am ET.
- Fox News: he returned as a paid contributor on 9 February 2026, announced during that night’s edition of Hannity. He does not host a Fox program.
As of 3 October 2026, all three shows are running and no further changes have been announced. Collin Jones, president of Westwood One, summed up the double shift when the morning hour was announced: “What’s better than Dan Bongino in the morning and afternoon? Twice a day with Dan Bongino coverage!”
From Talk Radio to the FBI and Back: A Dated Timeline
Bongino, born on 4 December 1974, is an American conservative broadcaster who served as the 20th deputy director of the FBI. He was a New York City police officer from 1995 to 1999 and a US Secret Service agent from 1999 to 2011, and he lost three races for Congress, in Maryland in 2012 and 2014 and in Florida in 2016.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2021 | Westwood One gives Bongino the 12pm to 3pm ET syndicated slot vacated after the death of Rush Limbaugh, and his Saturday evening Fox News show premieres. |
| 20 April 2023 | He leaves Fox News, citing failed contract negotiations. |
| 23 February 2025 | Trump announces him as the next FBI deputy director. |
| 14 March 2025 | He ends his radio show and podcast. |
| 17 March 2025 | He is sworn in at FBI headquarters. |
| 17 December 2025 | He announces on X that he will leave in January. |
| Early January 2026 | His departure takes effect. |
| 2 February 2026 | His daily podcast relaunches. |
| 9 February 2026 | Fox News announces him as a contributor. |
| 24 August 2026 | The Bongino Report PM launches. |
| 21 September 2026 | The Bongino Report AM launches. |
The 42-Year-Old Show His Morning Program Replaced
The Bongino Report AM took over the slot held by America in the Morning, which ended after 42 years on the air.
America in the Morning debuted on the Mutual Broadcasting System on 17 September 1984 and ran until its final broadcast on Friday 18 September 2026, one day after its 42nd anniversary. Jim Bohannon hosted it from the start until December 2015, when John Trout took over.
Westwood One replaced it with Bongino’s morning hour on Monday 21 September 2026. Its weekend companion, America This Week, ended at the same time.
Trout’s farewell thanked “the many correspondents, producers, management, and talented people who have contributed to AITM, helping us craft our daily, nonpartisan news broadcast over the years”.
Why He Did Not Reclaim His Old Midday Slot
His old 12pm to 3pm ET hours had already been filled, and he described the comeback as deliberately gradual.
Vince Coglianese succeeded Bongino in the Westwood One midday slot after he left broadcasting for the FBI in March 2025. Bongino returned at the edges of the day instead, taking afternoon drive in August 2026 and then the 5am hour in September.
He told Barrett Media in September 2026 that the re-entry was a “crawl, walk, run” approach, citing family priorities, and explained his preference for the medium plainly: “There’s something about hearing a voice … there’s an intimate nature to the audio-only medium that I think is really difficult to replicate.”
Slots in syndicated talk radio rarely wait for anyone, as Michael Delgiorno’s sudden exit from a Nashville talk station showed in 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dan Bongino Still at the FBI?
No. He served as deputy director from 17 March 2025 until his departure took effect in early January 2026, a tenure of under ten months.
What Time Are Dan Bongino’s Radio Shows?
On Westwood One, The Bongino Report AM runs from 5am to 6am ET and The Bongino Report PM runs from 3pm to 6pm ET, both on weekdays.
Does Dan Bongino Still Appear on Fox News?
Yes. He rejoined as a paid contributor on 9 February 2026, appearing as a guest rather than hosting his own program.
Who Replaced Dan Bongino in His Old Midday Radio Slot?
Vince Coglianese took over the Westwood One midday hours after Bongino left broadcasting in March 2025.
