Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino reportedly pushed back forcefully Monday against a Fox News report that claimed his future in the Trump administration was uncertain, dismissing the story as “garbage reporting” built on anonymous sources.
The controversy surfaced during Bongino’s appearance on The Megyn Kelly Show, when host Megyn Kelly raised a Fox News story by White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich.
The report alleged that both Bongino and FBI Director Kash Patel were “under fire” from senior Trump allies, citing supposed dissatisfaction from White House figures including Pam Bondi and Todd Blanche.
According to the piece, Bondi “cannot stand” Patel and Blanche shared similar views.
Kelly summarized the report’s conclusion: “The headline is that ‘knives are out’ for Kash Patel. It ends with something about you, Dan, saying three sources also point out ‘Dan Bongino’s days are more likely numbered than Patel’s, as he threatened to quit amid fallout from the Epstein feud with Bondi.’” She offered Bongino the chance to respond.
Bongino, who left Fox News in April 2023, scoffed at the notion that he was on shaky ground with the administration. “Megyn, I don’t even– So just to be clear, I’ve read the report, I spoke to Jacqui. Everyone on the record you just cited, on the record said the exact opposite. You can read the report yourself,” he said.
He argued that the story relied almost entirely on an unnamed source unwilling to be identified, while public statements from key figures contradicted the anonymous claims. “So just to be clear, an off-the-record person who was not willing to put their name to any of this, who may not like what the director and I are doing here, off the record– off the record said, ‘Wow these guys are in a lot of trouble.’ On the record, everyone from the president to Todd to Pam to everyone else says the exact opposite,” Bongino said.
He added, “So your story, not you, but the story is what? Knives are– Where are the knives? Who’s holding the knives? The knives are out?”
Bongino also emphasized that if there truly were discontent from President Trump or his inner circle, it would hardly be kept quiet. “If the White House was unhappy and President Trump was unhappy, you and I have known the president a long time, you really believe the president’s not just gonna call? Do you think he’s the type to not call you?” Bongino asked, making clear his skepticism of reports based solely on anonymous grumblings.
“I’m a little skeptical of garbage reporting about unnamed sources who may not like what I just told you, who are saying, ‘Oh my gosh, the knives are out,’ when everybody on the record is saying, ‘What are you talking about? Everything’s going great,’” he said.
Kelly acknowledged the point, noting, “President Trump is not usually shy when he’s unhappy with a staffer.”
“Uh, no,” Bongino replied with a laugh, bringing the exchange to a close.
Bongino’s comments highlight a growing frustration among conservatives with legacy media outlets—and, in this case, even Fox News—for relying on anonymous leaks to suggest internal disarray. For Bongino, the message was unmistakable: when the president and senior officials say “everything’s going great,” it is the anonymous sources, not the leadership, who deserve scrutiny.
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