FBI Establishes 20-Agent Security Team for Deputy Director Bongino

Dan Bongino, the newly appointed FBI Deputy Director and former Fox News host, is requesting an unprecedented security detail of up to 20 agents, a significant departure from past practices where the FBI's No. 2 position did not typically have a security team. This request has drawn criticism from former FBI officials, who argue that it strains resources and contradicts the agency's goals of deploying agents to field operations. Bongino, who has a background as a Secret Service agent, could qualify to carry his own weapon but has opted for a full-time protective team instead. His request has raised concerns about the implications for taxpayer funding and the overall effectiveness of the bureau, especially given the ongoing staffing challenges. Predecessors like Paul Abbate only had a part-time agent accompany them and often carried their own firearms. The internal call for volunteers to serve in Bongino's security detail has sparked debate about the appropriateness of such measures for someone in his position.