Former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino Officially Leaves Role To ‘Return to Civilian Life’ in Florida—Hours After Nicolas Maduro’s Capture

Conservative commentator Dan Bongino has officially ended his short-lived run as deputy director of the FBI, announcing on social media that he has made a "return to civilian life" in Florida after less than a year in the role.

Bongino, 51, who was nominated to the prestigious position by President Donald Trump in February 2025, revealed in December that he was stepping down from the job, mere weeks after admitting that it had taken a serious toll on his marriage to wife Paula.

Sharing his last post on his official @FBIDDBongino account on X, the father of two celebrated what he described as a "busy last day on the job," during which the U.S. carried out a large-scale strike on Venezuela and apprehended the country's leader, President Nicolas Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores.

"It was a busy last day on the job," Bongino wrote, while reposting a Truth Social post shared by Trump, who revealed details of the Venezuelan attack.

"This will be my last post on this account," Bongino continued. "Tomorrow I return to civilian life. It’s been an incredible year thanks to the leadership and decisiveness of President Trump."

The podcast host, who served under FBI Director Kash Patel, went on to praise his boss.

"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," Bongino wrote.

Bongino first announced his resignation from the FBI in mid-December, when he confirmed the news on X, hours after the New York Times had reported he was planning to quit.

At the time, he thanked Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Patel, before voicing his gratitude to the American people for allowing him to "serve."

"I will be leaving my position with the FBI in January," he wrote. "I want to thank President Trump, AG Bondi, and Director Patel for the opportunity to serve with purpose.

"Most importantly, I want to thank you, my fellow Americans, for the privilege to serve you. God bless America, and all those who defend Her."

His confirmation of his departure from the FBI was shared within hours of the New York Times reporting that Washington, DC, was abuzz with speculation about Bongino's future in the FBI, with three insiders telling the outlet that he is preparing to quit "as soon as this week or as late as mid-January."

Those same insiders further alleged that the father of two has already begun packing up his office, "sending office knickknacks and other possessions back to Florida," where his wife, Paula, remained even after he took up the job in DC.

In February, Trump chose Bongino to serve as FBI deputy director, describing him as an "incredible" man.

At the time, Trump, 79, gushed about Bongino's commitment to his country, praising him as “a man of incredible love and passion for our Country” in a post shared on his Truth Social platform. He branded the announcement “great news for Law Enforcement and American Justice.”

However, the role appears to have taken a toll on Bongino, who quit his popular conservative podcast, "The Dan Bongino Show," to take on the FBI job.

Speaking about Bongino's departure, Trump hinted that there was no bad blood between the two of them, although he joked to reporters that he believed the podcaster's decision was prompted by a desire to return to his show.

"Dan did a great job. I think he wants to go back to his show," he said.

However, there may well have been another pressing reason: a desire to return to life at home with his wife and their children.

In May, during an appearance on "Fox & Friends," Bongino admitted that he was struggling with living apart from his wife of more than 20 years, with whom he shares two daughters, explaining that the separation felt like a "divorce" in some ways.

"I gave up everything for this. I mean, you know, my wife is struggling," he said. "I'm not a victim, I'm not James Comey, I'm fine. I did this, and I'm proud I did it."

He added, "I stare at these four walls all day in DC, you know, by myself, divorced from my wife. Not divorced, but I mean, separated. And it's hard. We love each other, and it's hard to be apart."

Bongino hit back at any suggestion that he and Patel were not giving their all to the job, insisting that the two of them are in their offices from the early hours of the morning until late at night.

In an interview with Fox News host—and fellow Florida resident—Sean Hannity, Bongino teased a return to his former role in the spotlight, while attempting to reassure his podcast fans that he has not changed his opinions or political stance, but rather backed off from sharing them so publicly.

"I was paid in the past, Sean, for my opinions, that’s clear, and one day I’ll be back in that space," he said. "But that’s not what I’m paid for now. I’m paid to be your deputy director, and we base investigations on facts."

Before taking on the role in the FBI, the political commentator had enjoyed a lucrative career as a conservative activist, appearing on several news channels, while also hosting his own podcast, which saw him amass a legion of fans.

However, Trump's decision to appoint Bongino as the deputy director of the agency raised some eyebrows—largely as a result of his national security inexperience when compared with those who had filled the role before him.

Still, Bongino had ample expertise working within political administrations, having previously served as a member of the U.S. Secret Service under Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, before he shifted his views and became a popular Republican figure.

Bongino and his wife were residing in Florida with their two children when he landed the FBI job, which required him to relocate to the nation's capital, while his family remained behind in the Sunshine State.

It appeared as though the father of two might have been ready to commit to a life in DC when he sold his primary Florida residence for $3.65 million in March 2025, having previously listed the property for just under $4 million in October 2024.

Records show Bongino and his spouse purchased the four-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom Sewalls Point, FL, home for $1.55 million in 2019.

It is unclear whether they have bought a new property in Florida since selling the dwelling.

The commentator also owns a home in Maryland, where it was announced the FBI would move to in 2023, before those plans were scrapped by the Trump administration earlier this year.

Bongino was based in Maryland for several years before relocating to Florida and even ran for the state Senate in 2012, one year after he quit his position as a Secret Service agent. He had joined the agency in 1999.

His move to Maryland came in 2002, when he left his hometown of New York City to take up a role as an instructor at the Secret Service Training Academy in Beltsville, MD.

Bongino has maintained a Maryland home ever since, most recently snapping up a property for $543,000 in Severna Park in 2020.