Dan Bongino Breaks His Silence, Shares Jaw-Dropping News
Just one day before The New York Times released a critical article about the FBI's current leadership, Deputy Director Dan Bongino took to social media to blast the outlet for what he described as exaggerated reporting. His post centered around a recent grappling session with fellow agents, which the Times allegedly used to sensationalize issues within the bureau under Director Kash Patel and Bongino himself.
Bongino, who served a decade in the U.S. Secret Service before becoming a prominent conservative media figure, slammed the Times for its portrayal of a training room encounter. Despite sustaining a minor physical issue, he dismissed it as a non-issue.
“Adam Goldman of the NY Times is getting ready to run another one of their ‘journalism’ exposé pieces about me spending time in our FBI training facility ground fighting with our dedicated and skilled defensive tactics instructors,” Bongino wrote online Sunday. “Their big news ‘hook’ is that after a solid few rounds of grappling, I injured my shoulder.”
The article referenced accounts from former agents who claimed Bongino lost a match against younger, jujitsu-trained agents—a claim Bongino did not refute.
“The instructor I was grappling with got the best of me, because he’s incredibly talented,” Bongino added. “That’s why he’s there.”
He also clarified the nature of the physical setback: “And it was not an ‘injury’ but a bit of swelling in my right elbow, not shoulder, because I’m 50 years old and I can’t recover like I used to. But I felt it was important to get on the mats anyway, because that’s what men do.”
The Times' Sunday evening edition did not specify any injuries sustained by Bongino, regardless of his remarks made the previous day.
Meanwhile, former agent Kyle Seraphin—once a vocal supporter of Patel—also drew attention with his criticisms. He mocked the director for “taking selfies with the Hostage Rescue Team” and suggested that the Bureau’s internal culture may have “captured” both Patel and Bongino.
The Times report also touched on Patel’s personal life, noting alleged romantic links to 26-year-old country singer Alexis Wilkins. The two have reportedly been seen together multiple times in Nashville. Additionally, Patel was scrutinized for traveling on the FBI’s private jet, potentially breaching internal protocols.
Other parts of the article questioned Patel’s public appearances, including his attendance at UFC events and an NFL game where he sat beside hockey legend Wayne Gretzky. Critics accused him of using these outings to polish his image. Some former FBI personnel expressed concern over Patel’s approach, contrasting it with past directors—Robert Mueller, who was seen as more attention-seeking, and Louis Freeh, who avoided the spotlight.
As of Monday, Patel had not responded publicly to the article. Instead, he remained active on social media, highlighting recent collaborative operations with U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement.
“Together with our law enforcement partners, we are actively working to identify, disrupt, and dismantle their networks. We will not allow foreign-backed criminal organizations to take root in our communities,” he wrote in his latest update.