Power, Protection, and Politics: FBI Assigns 24/7 Security Detail to Deputy Director Dan Bongino
Washington, D.C. — In a striking departure from bureau tradition, the FBI is quietly deploying a round-the-clock, multi-agency security detail for Deputy Director Dan Bongino, a move that is already triggering internal friction and public speculation.
If finalized, the unprecedented protection—possibly involving up to 20 rotating agents—would mark the first time a deputy director has received such extensive safeguards.
While the bureau has not publicly disclosed the rationale, the implications are anything but quiet.
A Security Detail Like No Other
Unlike his predecessor Paul Abbate, who was accompanied by a single part-time agent mainly during foreign travel, Bongino is poised to be surrounded 24/7—even at FBI headquarters, where senior officials have historically moved unescorted.
The bureau recently issued a call for agents willing to step away from their primary duties to serve temporary assignments on the detail. Internally, the tone of the request raised eyebrows: it wasn’t framed as optional.
Though Bongino is a former Secret Service agent and NYPD officer, he has opted not to carry a personal firearm in his current role, instead deferring entirely to the incoming protective team.
Unanswered Questions—and Growing Scrutiny
Former senior officials are sounding alarms over the move’s scale and cost.
“The question is, what is the actual risk and threat here, or does he just want a detail?” said Frank Figliuzzi, former FBI Assistant Director, in an interview with NBC News. “This is taxpayer money we’re talking about.”
Typically, such robust security is reserved only for the FBI Director and the Attorney General—not the second-in-command. The lack of a clear, public threat has led some to suspect political motivations or internal fears, particularly amid heightened scrutiny of the bureau’s leadership shake-up and aggressive internal reforms.
Reformers or Power Brokers?
Since assuming their posts, Bongino and FBI Director Kash Patel have portrayed themselves as agents of institutional reform, seeking to root out what they describe as deep dysfunction within the bureau. Their appointments followed a period of political upheaval and a wave of dismissals inside the FBI, some of which drew criticism for potentially politicizing the agency.
In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Bongino hinted at both the sensitivity and urgency of his work:
“Nothing happening here is by accident. Because of the sensitivity of the FBI’s work, both the Director and I must be careful in what we make public. Bad actors read this stuff too… Measure us by results—you will see them.”
He added that “complex problems require diligence,” and cautioned against the illusion of quick fixes.
But critics argue that such secrecy—and now, the presence of a high-visibility security bubble—risks creating a perception of paranoia rather than progress.
More Than Just Optics
Whether the security detail is a response to specific threats or an internal precaution, its symbolism is unmistakable: this FBI is not business as usual. As political tensions rise and public confidence in federal institutions remains shaky, every move made by leadership is under the microscope.
And that, perhaps, is the point.
In an era where reform, retaliation, and reputation blur together, the detail may serve as more than protection—it may be part of a broader signal: that this leadership isn’t just playing defense. It’s preparing for a fight.
Conclusion: Security as a Statement
The deployment of a full-time, 24/7 security detail to Deputy Director Dan Bongino marks a dramatic and controversial shift inside the FBI—both in protocol and perception. Whether rooted in real-world threats or strategic messaging, the decision has stirred debate over priorities, power, and public trust. As Bongino and Patel chart a course of reform under intense national scrutiny, their security posture could become as symbolic as their policies: bold, unconventional, and deeply polarizing.