Former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino Admits to Planting False Information to Identify Agency Leakers

The second-highest-ranking official at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) didn't know which of his own colleagues he could trust, and he resorted to spy tactics against his own agency to find out.

Former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino admitted on a podcast released on Tuesday that he planted false information inside the bureau to identify agents he suspected of leaking to the media. The revelation raises serious questions about the depth of internal dysfunction at the agency responsible for investigating terrorism, organised crime, and child exploitation in the US.

Bongino made the admission during an appearance on the 'Hang Out with Sean Hannity' podcast. He described the FBI as split between two factions and said he and FBI Director Kash Patel spent weeks trying to figure out which agents were loyal.

'And then you had this other FBI which was populated with, to say, unfortunately, snakes is being nice,' Bongino told Hannity.

Spy Tactics Inside the Bureau

The method Bongino described is a classic counterintelligence technique, one typically deployed against foreign adversaries rather than fellow agents. He said he would fabricate details about his schedule and share them selectively with specific individuals. When those false details appeared in media reports, he could trace the leak back to its source.

'A report leaked out in the media one day. I knew exactly where it came from because I made it up,' Bongino said. 'It was a total lie.'

He acknowledged that even outside advisers who helped him and Patel identify trustworthy agents sometimes got it wrong. Bongino recalled instances where a colleague vouched for someone, only for a leak to surface days later that pointed directly back to that person.

What It Means for Public Safety

The FBI's core mission includes protecting the public from terrorism, violent crime, and child exploitation. Its Violent Crimes Against Children unit handles some of the most sensitive cases in federal law enforcement. If the bureau's deputy director can't determine which of his own people are trustworthy, it raises difficult questions about the agency's ability to carry out that mission effectively.

Bongino himself acknowledged the divide. He praised agents working child exploitation and violent crime cases, saying he felt 'honoured' to serve alongside them. But he made clear that another faction was actively working to undermine leadership from within.

A 10-Month Tenure Marred by Conflict

Bongino joined the FBI as deputy director in March 2025 and left just 10 months later in January 2026. His departure followed a reported dispute with then-Attorney General Pam Bondi over the handling of classified Jeffrey Epstein files. He had considered resigning as early as July 2025 after a heated confrontation with Bondi at the White House.

During his tenure, Bongino and Patel faced a blistering 115-page internal report prepared by 24 active-duty and retired FBI agents and analysts for the House and Senate Judiciary Committees.

The December 2025 assessment described the bureau under their leadership as a 'rudderless ship'. One source in the report called Bongino 'something of a clown,' while another said Patel was 'in over his head.'

Bongino dismissed the report at the time as 'gossipy nonsense' from agents opposed to reform.

Back Behind the Microphone

Within weeks of leaving the FBI, Bongino relaunched his daily talk show on the Rumble video platform and returned as a Fox News contributor. His first appearance back on the network came on Hannity's programme.

The FBI's leadership has continued to face scrutiny since Bongino's exit. A recent profile in The Atlantic alleged that Patel engaged in excessive drinking and had unexplained absences from the bureau. Patel denied the allegations and filed a $250 million (£185 million) defamation lawsuit against the magazine.

Career agent Christopher Raia, a 22-year FBI veteran, replaced Bongino as deputy director. It was a return to the bureau's long-standing tradition of placing an experienced insider in the role, one that Bongino's appointment had broken.

The man who once didn't know which agents to trust is now back where he started, talking about the FBI from behind a microphone rather than from inside it.