Contrary to established security protocols, Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Cash Patel has appointed Dan Bongino to the position of Deputy Director, despite the latter not having undergone the standard background investigation procedure, which includes mandatory polygraph testing. This is reported by a former high-ranking FBI officer and several government officials familiar with the situation.
Dan Bongino, as Deputy Director, holds the second most significant position in the FBI structure. His purview encompasses a wide range of critically important tasks, including authorizing surveillance operations, coordinating activities with partner intelligence services, and the operational management of the Bureau’s 56 field offices located across the country. Furthermore, the Deputy Director has access to information of the highest classification level, including the President’s Daily Brief, which contains consolidated data from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the National Security Agency (NSA), and other sources.
Reportedly, a situation where a person applying for such a position is exempt from undergoing the standard FBI background investigation is unprecedented. Four sources directly familiar with the details related to the polygraph testing confirmed this fact.