Washington, D.C., April 13, 2025 – FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino announced a series of aggressive initiatives aimed at making American communities “noticeably safer,” signaling a renewed focus on combating violent crime. In a statement from FBI headquarters, Bongino, alongside Director Kash Patel, outlined plans to target violent criminals, gang members, drug traffickers, and child abusers, vowing to either imprison or deport them. “They are doing incredible damage, and the Director and I want them off our streets—no excuses,” Bongino declared.
Appointed in February 2025, Bongino and Patel are steering the FBI toward traditional crime-fighting while maintaining its counterterrorism and federal crime missions. The duo has directed the FBI’s 55 field offices to increase transparency by sharing operation results through social media, local TV, podcasts, and radio. “Follow your local FBI field office accounts—you’ll see the results for yourself,” Bongino urged, emphasizing that the agency works for the public and must show how taxpayer money is used. This push for openness comes after years of criticism over the FBI’s lack of accountability, a point Bongino himself has made in his past as a conservative podcaster.
Bongino also revealed internal reforms to prevent “the mistakes of the past.” Recruiting, evaluation, and training processes are under review, a likely response to controversies like the FBI’s handling of the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot investigation, which both Bongino and Patel have criticized. “Accountability requires people, information, and people with information,” Bongino stated, hinting at broader structural changes. This follows reports of significant upheaval at the FBI, including the exit of senior executives and plans to relocate 1,500 staff from Washington to field offices, as noted by The Washington Post.
The focus on deportation aligns with the Trump administration’s broader immigration crackdown, including recent moves to cancel Social Security numbers for undocumented immigrants. However, Bongino’s leadership has drawn scrutiny. A former NYPD officer and Secret Service agent with no prior FBI experience, Bongino’s history of promoting conspiracy theories and calling the FBI “irredeemably corrupt” has raised concerns about politicization. Critics, including former FBI officials, worry that he and Patel, a Trump loyalist, may prioritize political agendas over the bureau’s independence.
Public reaction on X is mixed, with some praising the crackdown on crime and others questioning the FBI’s direction under its new leadership. As these initiatives unfold, their success in balancing the FBI’s diverse missions while delivering tangible results remains uncertain. For now, Bongino insists the public should judge the agency by its actions, not promises, as the FBI navigates this new chapter.
