Former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino is pulling back the curtain on what he says was a deeply divided bureau — and the tactics he used to expose internal “snakes.”
Speaking on the “Hang Out with Sean Hannity” podcast, Bongino described an FBI split between agents committed to the mission and others he believes were actively undermining it from within.
“There were two FBIs trying to help you solve the A, B and C problems, and that’s FBI one and FBI two,” Bongino said in the episode released Tuesday.
According to Bongino, one side of the bureau was filled with professionals he respected deeply — including agents working in Violent Crimes Against Children (VCAC) units and violent crime fugitive task forces.
But the other side, he warned, was far more troubling.
“And then you had this other FBI,” Bongino said, adding, “which was populated with, to say, unfortunately, ‘snakes’ is being nice.”
Bongino explained that one of the biggest challenges he and FBI Director Kash Patel faced was figuring out who could be trusted — and who couldn’t.
The problem, he said, wasn’t always obvious.
“You’re trying to figure this out, and you’re asking someone for advice, you’ve only been there a couple weeks, and you don’t know if that person is part of the good FBI or the bad FBI,” Bongino said.
Even recommendations from within the bureau sometimes backfired.
“It happened a couple times where they’d say, ‘Oh, you can trust John Smith.’ And you trust John Smith, and then a week later you see a leak in the media and you’d be like, ‘I’m pretty sure that came from John Smith,’” he added.
How Bongino Flushed Out Leakers
To combat internal leaks, Bongino said he turned to a simple but effective strategy: setting traps.
He described deliberately sharing small, harmless — or “innocuous” — details about his schedule with select individuals, then watching to see if that information surfaced in the media.
When it did, it pointed directly to the source.
“It was like we would play this little game,” Bongino said.
The tactic allowed him to identify individuals he believed were leaking sensitive information, even as he acknowledged the broader difficulty of navigating an agency he viewed as internally fractured.
A Mission to Restore Trust
Bongino joined the FBI in March 2025 with a stated goal of restoring integrity and public trust in the bureau. He served for nearly a year before departing in January 2026.
At the time of his appointment, he made clear what he saw as the stakes.
“My promise to you is that I will work tirelessly to help restore integrity, eliminate political bias, and ensure the FBI remains dedicated to its core mission of protecting the United States and upholding the Constitution,” Bongino said.
Now back in the public arena, Bongino is offering a firsthand account of what he describes as a battle inside one of the nation’s most powerful institutions — and the methods he used to confront it.
🚨 DAN BONGINO REVEALS: He’ll NEVER BE THE SAME after serving in the FBI
“I’m scared man. I know what I did, I’m proud of my work.”
“I know what’s coming…they’re going to come for me.”
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could be joining the future Trump administration…
On Monday, the Independent presidential candidate signaled in a video that he may join the Trump administration’s Department of Agriculture to work on policy.
“When @realDonaldTrump gets me inside the USDA, we’re going to give farmers an off-ramp from the current system that destroys soil, makes people sick, and harms family farms,” he wrote Monday on social platform X, just days after losing his mother, along with a video asking supporters to donate to his “Make America Healthy Again” cause.
When @realDonaldTrump gets me inside the USDA, we're going to give farmers an off-ramp from the current system that destroys soil, makes people sick, and harms family farms.
The donation page is dedicated to fueling support for the former president.
“America’s current ag policy is destroying America’s health on every level. It’s destroying the economic health of farmers by forcing them to get big or get out,” Kennedy said the video. “Big corporate farms do just fine, while the small and medium family operators are squeezed to the point of collapse.”
The independent then touched on issues caused by toxic pesticides and polluted soil, and shared plans to remove internal “conflicts of interest” within the agency.
“We’re going to ban the worst agricultural chemicals that are already prohibited in other countries. And we’re going to remove conflicts of interest from the USDA dietary panels and commissions,” he said. “I’ve seen some of what America’s most innovative, regenerative farmers are doing today. They can literally green deserts. They rebuild depleted soils, wells that have been dry for 30 years start flowing again.”
Over the weekend, Independent Sen. Joe Manchin (W.V.) shot down rumors he may join Kamala Harris on the campaign trail as her running mate.
When asked on “CNN This Morning” if he would consider running as VP with Harris — whom Biden endorsed to replace him on the ticket — Manchin said, “No, I’m not.”
“It’s a new generation, you don’t want a 76-year-old vice president right now,” he continued.
CNN anchor Kasie Hunt then asked if the nation wants a 76-year-old president, following reports that Manchin is considering reregistering as a Democrat to run against Harris for the nomination.
“Well, if he feels like he’s 50 maybe,” Manchin quipped.
“I haven’t worked with Kamala at all,” he later added.
Manchin, a longtime Democrat, switched to an independent in May and floated a primary bid against Biden, but he ultimately decided against it.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Biden wrote in a letter posted to social media.
My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best… pic.twitter.com/x8DnvuImJV
The president said he will address the nation later this week to discuss his decision to ultimately drop out.
Hours before Biden’s announcement, Manchin became the fifth senator to call on Biden to leave the presidential race.
“I came to the decision with a heavy heart that I think it’s time to pass the torch to a new generation,” Manchin told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union.”
“I want him [Biden] to be the president in the last five months … of his term, to do what he can do is unite our country, to calm down the rhetoric and be able to focus attention to peace in the world,” the senator added.
The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley received more than 150,000 votes in the Pennsylvania GOP primary on Tuesday despite having dropped out of the race weeks ago.
The Hill reported the most recent election returns, from just after 9 a.m. Wednesday, show Haley with nearly 157,000 votes, enough for 16.6 percent of the total, with 90 percent of votes cast counted.
Former President Trump still easily won the primary, with more than 80 percent of the vote as of the latest count, and he will win all of Pennsylvania’s delegates in the winner-take-all primary. But Haley’s total is still a significant amount for a candidate who has not been in the race since early last month.
Despite Haley’s popularity among Republicans the former South Carolina Governor, she was unable to take a commanding lead over Trump.
Still, Haley on Tuesday appears to have reached or came close to 20 percent in several counties. Her showing may not have significantly impacted Trump taking the state on his way to officially becoming the Republican nominee, especially as he became the presumptive nominee last month after clinching enough delegates.
But it could indicate a reason for concern in the general election, in which Pennsylvania is one of the key battleground states that could determine the winner of the race. The polling average of the state from Decision Desk HQ/The Hill has Trump ahead of President Biden in the state by just 0.4 percent, meaning every vote may have added importance there compared to other states in November.
Haley has seen continued support over recent weeks in other states. She received more than 77,000 votes in the Georgia GOP primary in March a few days after she dropped out, more than 150,000 votes, or almost 20 percent, in the Washington Republican primary and more than 110,000 votes in the Arizona GOP primary.
Daniel X. O'Neil from USA, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Tensions are running high…
On Friday, Conservative radio host and political pundit Hugh Hewitt stormed off a Washington Post live event after an argument over former President Trump’s rhetoric on election integrity ahead of Election Day.
“Is it me or does it seem like Donald Trump is laying the ground work for contesting the election,” Post host Jonathan Capehart asked Ruth Marcus, who was appearing with Hewitt as part of the live event. “By claiming that cheating was taking place, but suing Bucks County [Pennsylvania] for alleged irregularities … ”
Marcus replied Trump has been “laying the ground work” to contest the election for months, setting Hewitt off.
“Jonathan, I’ve gotta speak up,” he tried to interject.
“Let Ruth finish, Hugh,” Capehart shot back.
“Well, I’ve just got to say, we’re news people, even though it’s the opinion section,” Hewitt said after Marcus finished. “It’s got to be reported. Bucks County was reversed by the court and instructed to open up extra days because they violated the law and told people to go home. So, that lawsuit was brought by the Republican National Committee, and it was successful. The Supreme Court ruled that Glenn Youngkin was successful,” he added, referring to the GOP Virginia governor’s efforts to purge some 1,600 people from the voter rolls.
“We are news people, even though we have opinions, and we have to report the whole story if we bring up part of the story. So, yes, he’s upset about Bucks County, but he was right and he won in court. That’s the story,” Hewitt said.
After a brief pause, Capehart told Hewitt, “I don’t appreciate being lectured about reporting when, Hugh, many times you come here saying lots of things that aren’t based in fact.”
“I won’t come back, Jonathan, I’m done,” Hewitt said, ripping his earpiece out and standing up.
“I’m done. This is the most unfair election ad I’ve ever been a part of,” Hewitt continued, his face no longer visible on the screen. “You guys are working, that’s fine, I’m done.”
Watch:
The host was eventually forced to end the event early, saying, “Everybody if you’ve been watching … you know these conversations can be interesting, contentious.”
“You just saw Hugh Hewitt leave which is lamentable, unfortunate. It is what it is. Thank you very much for joining us,” he continued and urged viewers to subscribe to the Post.
After the incident, Hewitt announced his resignation from the Washington Post.
“I have in fact quit the Post but I was only writing a column for them every six weeks or so,” Hewitt told Fox News Digital, adding he’d recently offered to write another pro-Trump column for the paper ahead of the election. He informed editorial page editor David Shipley on Friday morning.
A Democratic whistleblower told the FBI that Adam Schiff approved leaking classified information in order to discredit President Donald Trump, according to newly-released documents.
The documents, which were obtained by Just The News, were recently handed over to Congress by FBI Director Kash Patel. In the report, the intelligence staffer referred to the leaking as “treasonous” and “illegal,” in addition to being unethical. He was most recently interviewed by the FBI in 2023.
The staffer also said that he personally attended a meeting where Schiff greenlit the leak.
“When working in this capacity, [redacted staffer’s name] was called to an all-staff meeting by SCHIFF,” the documents state, per Just The News.
“In this meeting, SCHIFF stated the group would leak classified information which was derogatory to President of the United States DONALD J. TRUMP. SCHIFF stated the information would be used to indict President TRUMP.”
“[The whistleblower] stated this would be illegal and, upon hearing his concerns, unnamed members of the meeting reassured that they would not be caught leaking classified information,” the report added.
John Solomon, who co-authored the piece with Just The News’ Jerry Dunleavy, appeared on Fox News’ “Hannity” to discuss the report.
“This is the first of several major leak investigations we’re going to see over the next several days,” Solomon said. “You’re going to see other major people that were clearly identified by the FBI, having leaked classified secrets.”
“Their own staff turned them in when interviewed by the FBI. Nothing, again, happened,” he added. “It’s a common pattern. The question now is, in Donald Trump’s Justice Department, does that dynamic change?”
Soon after the report was published, Patel shared it on X, saying that the FBI “found it [and] declassified it.”
We found it. We declassified it.
Now Congress can see how classified info was leaked to shape political narratives – and decide if our institutions were weaponized against the American people. pic.twitter.com/PCpLFLuPmI
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) August 12, 2025
Kentucky Senator Rand Paul (R) thinks President-elect Donald Trump should reconsider his deportation plan.
On Monday, Trump responded to a Truth Social post by Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton, who said that Trump is reportedly “prepared to declare a national emergency and will use military assets to reverse the Biden invasion through a mass deportation program.”
“TRUE!!” Trump posted.
Trump made a historic mass deportation campaign a cornerstone of his 2024 campaign, and his top officials have repeated that promise since he was elected this month.
In an appearance on Newsmax, on Tuesday, Paul expressed his opposition to such a plan.
Watch:
We, as conservatives who are supportive of Trump, need to caution him about sending the army into our cities. It's a terrible image to send the world, and it's a terrible image for us as citizens. pic.twitter.com/EygszWKMBB
“I think what I would do if I were in charge of the immigration situation would be to first to go after those who have committed crimes. You know, the big news right before the election was that there were 15,000 people in our country who have committed murder, there are about 13,000 that have committed sex crimes, violent sex crimes. That’s 28,000 people. Why don’t we start with that 28,000?” began Paul. “I’m not in favor of sending the army in uniforms into our cities to collect people. I think it’s a terrible image. And that’s not what we use our military for, we never have. And it’s actually been illegal for over 100 years to bring the army into our cities. Army and our military are trained to shoot the enemy. They’re not trained to get a warrant to do what they’re doing. The police have a difficult job, but the people removing people from our country need to be a police enforcement domestic agency, not the military. So while I’m all for ‘Remain in Mexico,’ I will not support an emergency to put the army into our cities. I think that’s a huge mistake.”
“Do you think that’s what what Trump is intending to do?” asked host Rob Schmitt.
“Well, that’s what he said yesterday or his spokesman said, the stories all said he would declare an emergency to use the military to remove people. I’m not for that. I’m not for really most presidential emergencies because they smack of martial rule. They smack of of no congressional approval. They smack of no checks and balances,” replied the senator. “So, look, I’m supportive of President Trump. I’m supportive of removing people illegally here, particularly people who have committed crimes. But I’m not for the Army marching up and down our streets. I think it’s a terrible image to send the world. It’s a terrible image for us as citizens. And so I hope he will think twice about trying to use an emergency edict to have the army patrolling our country.”
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Republican Sen. Mitt Romney (Utah) is poised to betray the Republican Party yet again.
The Anti-Trump Senator told Axios that he would be willing to dismiss articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. However, Romney included one stipulation for this vote, there must be a debate.
In the report by Stef W. Kight and Stephen Neukam, Romney indicated that he could vote with his Democrat colleagues in the Senate to end the historic impeachment by House Republicans. However, while he was skeptical about whether the allegations rose to a constitutional standard, Romney did insist that there should be a debate, even a brief one, to address the charges:
I don’t believe there’s a constitutional standard met. But at the same time, I think the Senate should give a chance for debate, even if it’s limited to two hours.
He added:
So if there’s a motion just to table without any discussion, that’s something I would oppose. If there’s a provision that allows debate, it’s something I’d be open to.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has publicly opposed the politically-motivated impeachment, but has not made clear what he plans to do. It takes a two-thirds majority to convict someone who has been impeached, and in the Democratic-led Senate, such a vote is highly unlikely.
Presidential debate photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr
In what some are claiming is a dig at his vice president, Trump declined to explicitly name JD Vance as his successor during his recent interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier.
In a clip from his interview with the president that aired Monday afternoon on Fox, Baier asked “Do you view Vice President JD Vance as your successor, the Republican nominee in 2028?”
“No, but he’s very capable,” answered Trump decisively. “I mean, I don’t think that it, you know, I think you have a lot of very capable people. So far, I think he’s doing a fantastic job. It’s too early, we’re just starting.”
“But by the time you get to the midterms, he’s going to be looking for an endorsement,” observed Baier.
Trump then deflected by submitting that “a lot of people have said that this has been the greatest opening almost three weeks in the history of the presidency.”
I think it was a little shocking when he said no, you know, I wasn’t expecting that. But, you know, following up, it is you know, once you get to the midterm, it starts, you start to think about 2028. And obviously, one would think JD Vance is going to be trying to position for that role. But clearly, the president is not ready to talk about that, or think about it, and says that there are other other people that may get in the mix.
Watch:
So many people think this is a dig at JD Vance.
They don’t know how Trump works.
Trump isn’t going to crown JD successor with 21 days of seeing his work as VP.
Elise Stefanik with Donald Trump via Wikimedia Commons
New York’s own Elise Stefanik, one of the most influential Republicans in Congress and a close ally of President Donald Trump, has officially entered the race for governor — and she’s ready to fight for hardworking families fed up with Democratic mismanagement.
Appearing on Fox & Friends Friday morning, Stefanik declared:
“I’m running for governor to make New York affordable and safe. We have seen decades of single-party rule led by Democrats. And Kathy Hochul is the worst governor in America.”
Fighting for Affordability and Safety
For years, New Yorkers have endured crushing taxes, skyrocketing costs, and unsafe streets — the direct result, Stefanik says, of failed Democratic leadership.
“New York is the most unaffordable state in the nation, with the highest taxes, the highest energy bills, the highest utility bills,” Stefanik said. “We also have a crime crisis because Kathy Hochul has brought us failed bail reform and has embraced the defund-the-police Democrats.”
She continued:
“After this week… when we saw a raging anti-Semite pro-Hamas communist who wants to raise taxes. And frankly, he barely won the majority of New York City voters, Kathy Hochul endorsed him and bent the knee.”
Stefanik made it clear that this campaign will be a coalition of common-sense New Yorkers — Republicans, Independents, and Democrats — united to take back their state.
“This is a broad coalition of Republicans, independents, and Democrats who know that enough is enough. We need commonsense leadership to make New York affordable and safe again.”
Kathy Hochul is the Worst Governor in America. Under her failed leadership, New York is the most unaffordable state in the nation with the highest taxes, highest energy, utilities, rent, and grocery bills. When New Yorkers were looking for leadership from our Governor, she bent… pic.twitter.com/HXyQlNIjEj
Stefanik is already assembling a seasoned team, including respected Republican strategist Tony Fabrizio, who served as pollster for President Trump’s 2024 campaign.
In her official statement, she promised:
“I am running for Governor to bring a new generation of leadership to Albany to make New York affordable and safe for families all across our great state.”
“Our campaign will unify Republicans, Democrats, and Independents to Fire Kathy Hochul once and for all to Save New York.”
Stefanik didn’t mince words about her opponent’s record:
“I’ve always put New York families first. Kathy Hochul has put New York families last again and again and again. She’s an accidental governor. She’s only in this position because she was Cuomo’s lieutenant governor.”
Taking the Fight to Albany
For many voters, Stefanik represents the kind of energy and clarity the Republican Party needs in New York. Her campaign centers on restoring economic freedom, supporting law enforcement, and defending traditional American values that Albany elites have ignored for too long.
“People are very concerned about affordability and I have a strong record of delivering for families,” she emphasized. “Kathy Hochul has made New York the most unaffordable state in the nation. We have the highest taxes, the highest energy prices, the highest utility prices, the highest grocery prices, and rent that continues to skyrocket.”
Her focus aligns with what many Republicans see as the winning issue for 2025 — the economy. As families struggle under high costs, Stefanik is promising to restore fiscal sanity and keep the American Dream alive in the Empire State.
Democrats Already on Defense
Predictably, Democrats responded with the same tired attacks. A spokesperson for the New York State Democratic Party claimed Stefanik “is a rubber stamp for Trump’s deeply unpopular agenda,” while the Democratic Governors Association tried to paint her as “Trump’s cheerleader.”
But these criticisms only highlight Stefanik’s strength — her loyalty to a movement that prioritizes working Americans, law and order, and energy independence.
Governor Hochul’s campaign immediately launched a website called “SelloutStefanik” — a move that many conservatives see as a sign of fear rather than confidence.
The Road Ahead
While Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman may also explore a run, Republican insiders widely view Stefanik as the frontrunner for the nomination. With strong fundraising ability, national connections, and a powerful message on affordability and safety, Stefanik has the potential to unite the GOP like no one else has in years.
