Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, US News, Police, New York, Podcast, YouTube, Social Media, Florida
Donald Trump has just given a MAGA podcast host who has been banned on some platforms for spreading 'misinformation' a top FBI job.
The president has picked a former US Secret Service agent to take on an enviable position in the upper ranks of the FBI as the Bureau's new deputy director, under only Kash Patel in the chain of command.
While neither of the top two people running the agency have FBI experience, Donald Trump lauded Bongino as a 'man of incredible love and passion for our country', who will work well under the 'best ever' boss, Patel, on his Truth Social platform.
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However, some see the move as controversial as the former agent turned conservative pundit has rustled some feathers over the years.
Dan Bongino, who now lives in Florida, worked for the New York police department for two years followed by a hefty stint at the Secret Service in 1999 through to 2011, where he worked on protection details for former US presidents, George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
As well as his failed Senate run in 2012, he lost races in Maryland and Florida for congressional seats in 2014 and 2016, during which he emerged as a staunch right-wing commentator and Trump ally, launching his daily podcast and landing a Saturday night segment on Fox News.
His podcast, The Don Bongino Show, saw Trump feature as a guest ahead of the election last year, while his Fox News show, 'Canceled in the USA' ran from 2021 to 2023, the premise of which involved him interviewing 'victims' who believed they were 'canceled' by the media.
According to the BBC, Bongino's Facebook posts attract more attention than those of Fox News and CNN combined.
Meanwhile, YouTube banned the father-of-two for allegedly pushing 'misinformation' during the pandemic, as did Google's AdSense for 'persistently violating publisher policies against COVID-19 and election misinformation,' notably peddling that the 2020 election was rigged in Joe Biden's favor.
Many of his episodes, now aired on Rumble, seem to take fire at so-called 'libs' (liberals), remarking once in 2018 that his life is 'all about owning the libs now.'
He also publicly challenges Trump's critics on social media, including an on-going spat with the horror author, Stephen King.
In an episode last week, Bongino praised Patel's appointment as chief of the FBI, saying his new boss will 'make the FBI great again' and dubbed him the 'change agent' the Bureau needs.
He added: "How amazing would it be in four years to look back with a good, high-quality, reformed FBI free of woke culture and DEI that goes out making headline, big arrests of real bad guys destroying your community. How good would that be?"
Now, he will be hanging up his podcasting hat to serve for the government.
The president wrote: "He was a member of the New York Police Department (New York’s Finest!), a highly respected Special Agent with the United States Secret Service, and is now one of the most successful Podcasters in the Country, something he is willing and prepared to give up in order to serve.
“Working with our great new United States Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and Director Patel, Fairness, Justice, Law and Order will be brought back to America, and quickly. Congratulations Dan!”, he added.
Bongino is the latest of a hefty line-up of other Fox News personalities to land a role in the Trump administration, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Tammy Bruce, Tulsi Gabbard, Sebastian Gorka and Transport Secretary Sean Duffy.
