The FBI plans to promote Christopher Raia, the chief of its New York field office, to the position of deputy director after Dan Bongino’s recent departure from the position, the agency confirmed to The Epoch Times on Jan. 9.

Bongino, a former New York City police officer turned conservative commentator, left after a brief stint as the bureau’s second-in-command. Bongino formally stepped down on Jan. 3, the day of President Donald Trump’s announcement of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro’s ouster by U.S. forces.

Bongino called it “a busy last day on the job.”

“This will be my last post on this account,” Bongino wrote on X. “Tomorrow I return to civilian life. It’s been an incredible year thanks to the leadership and decisiveness of President Trump.”

He said it was “an honor of a lifetime” to work with FBI Director Kash Patel and added, “See you on the other side.”

The deputy director’s role involves overseeing daily operations, coordinating with other agencies, and advising the director on strategic matters.

The FBI declined to comment on when Raia would begin his new position.

Raia brings decades of FBI experience. As assistant director in charge of the New York office, he has overseen major investigations in one of the agency’s busiest hubs.

In October 2025, Raia joined Patel and Homeland Security Investigations officials at a press conference announcing indictments in illegal gambling schemes. The operation targeted networks involving sports betting and rigged games, including accusations against Cleveland Guardians players for manipulating pitches to benefit gamblers.

Raia’s office has also been instrumental in high-profile cases, including the sentencing of MS-13 leader Alexi Saenz to 68 years for a Long Island murder spree in July 2025. Federal prosecutors credited coordinated efforts in dismantling the gang’s operations.

Raia’s team also addressed espionage threats, with a New York pro-democracy group founder pleading guilty in September 2025 to spying for China. U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton described the defendant’s actions as violating national sovereignty and endangering residents.

Bongino had signaled his intent to leave in mid-December 2025, though he did not specify an exact date at the time.

“I will be leaving my position with the FBI in January,” Bongino wrote in an X post on Dec. 17. “I want to thank President Trump, [Attorney General Pam] Bondi, and Director Patel for the opportunity to serve with purpose.”

Trump, speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews on Dec. 17, commended Bongino’s performance.

“I think he wants to go back to his show,” the president said, alluding to “The Dan Bongino Show” on Rumble.

Patel echoed the sentiment in a Dec. 17 post, describing Bongino as “the best partner I could’ve asked for in helping restore this FBI.”

“He not only completed his mission—he far exceeded it,” Patel wrote. “We will miss him but I’m thankful he accepted the call to serve. Our country is better and safer for it.”

Patel reposted Bongino’s final announcement on Jan. 3 without additional comment.

Bongino’s path to the FBI was unconventional. Before emerging as a political analyst on Fox News in 2013, he served as a New York Police Department officer and later as a U.S. Secret Service special agent. His February 2025 appointment marked his first involvement with the FBI, the nation’s premier domestic intelligence and law enforcement entity.

During his tenure, Bongino highlighted key FBI accomplishments in a Dec. 30, 2025, social media post. The bureau executed over 50,000 arrests, including more than 30,000 for violent offenses; seized over 2,000 kilograms of fentanyl; and boosted arrests related to “Nihilistic Violent Extremism” by 490 percent.

The national murder rate declined significantly, and agents located more than 6,000 child victims—a 22 percent rise from prior levels.

During his time at the FBI, Bongino reportedly clashed with the Department of Justice, the bureau’s overseeing agency, over the handling of files related to accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, whose 2019 death was ruled a suicide. Bongino had previously advocated for transparency on his podcast.

Trump dismissed reports of discord in July, calling Bongino a “very good guy” and stating he was “in good shape.”

The FBI under Patel and Bongino has emphasized countering domestic extremism, narcotics trafficking, and child exploitation amid broader Trump administration priorities. Raia’s promotion signals continuity in these efforts, drawing on his expertise in urban crime hubs.