In this edition of Intel for Intercessors, we highlight Dan Bongino, the new FBI Deputy Director under Director Kash Patel. While each of the articles in this series has inestimable worth in helping our intercessors pray more informed and personally, Bongino’s story is uniquely prized in many ways.

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In full disclosure, I have followed Dan through his rise to media and always appreciated his wisdom, insight, and conservative ideals, all shaped by his robust faith in Christ.

President Trump announced Bongino’s appointment on February 23, 2025. Because this level of service does not require Senate approval, he actively took the seat on March 17, 2025. To frame this acceptance as sacrificial on Dan’s part would be accurate; he walked away from a highly successful multi-million dollar media empire to serve We the People. If you are familiar with his broadcasting, Dan is evidently prepared for such a role as this.

Daniel John Bongino was born on December 4, 1974, in Queens, New York. To hear anything he says from behind a microphone is to know he is Queens through and through. Though he grew up in a gritty, working-class family, he was driven to achieve all he could in his education, earning a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Psychology from the City University of New York. His keen understanding of the human psyche and behavioral patterns shines through as you listen to his analysis of the news and current events.

Not satisfied, Bongino went on to garner a second Master’s, this time an MBA, from Penn State University. As his career took shape, the confluence of human behavior and adept business acumen became hallmarks of his ascent.

In 1995, he entered the New York City Police Academy as a cadet. From this point, his rise might be considered meteoric: Two years as a cadet, two years as an officer, and in 1999, transitioned to the Secret Service, starting in the New York field office. In 2002, he was made an instructor at the Secret Service Training Academy in Maryland. In 2006, he joined the Presidential Protection Division, where he served guarding both President George W. Bush and Barack Obama. 

As fast as his star rose, he left it behind in 2011 to pursue a political career. Unfortunately, he ran unsuccessfully for Congress three times as a Republican in Maryland and Florida.

After his political aspirations lost steam, Bongino wisely unfurled his waiting business astuteness from his bag of gifts and found his true calling as a media personality. In 2015, he started the Dan Bongino Show, a podcast that combined his years in law enforcement with his campaign-tested firebrand of conservative commentary. It was in 2018 that he was made famous for a single declaration: My entire life right now is about owning the libs.

By 2020, his podcast was a juggernaut, attracting a steady following of millions. This caught YouTube’s attention as the Google-owned streaming behemoth went after Dan for content policy violations. Not to be bullied into compliance, the brawler from Queens made a major investment in Rumble, the censor-free alternative to YouTube. As of 2024, Bongino’s stake in Rumble is estimated at 260 million dollars.

He also had a show on Fox News and took over Rush Limbaugh’s spot for a while on his radio show after the conservative icon passed in 2021. All in all, Bongino has crafted a remarkably influential and lucrative career. Still, the key to his success is unfiltered honesty, curious investigation, and supreme discernment to filter out the noise.

Dan is married to his wife Paula Andrea, who is originally from Colombia, and they have two daughters. Faith is not a token topic for Bongino but is soaked through the fabric of his identity and on-air personality. One pivotal moment came in 2020 when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in his neck. During this period, he beseeched his audience to pray for him, and after successful treatment, he thanked God and those who prayed.

Another trial Bongino lived out publicly was in 2024 when his mother died after falling down a flight of stairs. On his radio show, he recounted a mysterious occurrence he experienced that same night his mother tragically passed. He said, “It was as if a presence grabbed me,” likening it to a spiritual encounter. “I’ve never believed more in the power of Jesus after that.”

As Deputy Director of the FBI, a seat usually reserved for career agents, Dan will oversee the day-to-day operations, manage the over 38,000 employees, coordinate between 55 field offices, and carry out Director Patel’s vision for renovating the agency from the ground up. While Bongino will be responsible for handling domestic and international investigations, from counterterrorism to organized crime, after all these years of commenting about the evident corruption and politicization of the bureau, Dan will finally be able to make the serious changes required to build trust and integrity again.

Trump’s selection of Patel and Bongino has sent shock waves throughout the DC establishment. Many believe the inevitable unearthing of corrupt agents and offices will cause significant disruption, but the days of disloyalty to We The People must end. On his final broadcast, he said, “I promise to stay out of the political space because it’s the right thing to do.” Don’t worry, Dan. We will cheer you on, hold you in prayer, and tune in when you are back on the air.

Share your prayers for Bongino in the comments below.

Keith Guinta blogs at www.winepatch.org. He is a husband and father, and he has been a worship leader and church planter. Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America – Dan Bongino, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=107751487.