FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino pushed back strongly this week against a detailed 115-page internal report from current and former FBI personnel that painted the agency as directionless and dysfunctional under their leadership. They defended the sweeping reforms they enacted, claiming those changes restored accountability and delivered concrete results.
Those reforms include reworking the bureau’s management structure, relocating many from headquarters into field offices, and cutting waste — steps Patel said are part of a broader mission to build “a faster, stronger, more accountable” FBI. He cited record-setting arrests, major takedowns of criminal networks, and declines in violent crime as evidence the agency is fulfilling its duty to protect American citizens.
Bongino acknowledged backlash from what he called a “small circle of disgruntled former agents,” but said the criticism doesn’t reflect the priorities or the results achieved under the new leadership. He argued the agency now focuses on mission-first policing and public safety rather than bureaucratic inertia.
The internal report had described Patel as “in over his head” and questioned his and Bongino’s qualifications; some sources called Bongino “something of a clown.” The document reportedly drew on statements from 24 agents and sub-sources.
Patel and Bongino said such leaks reflect resistance to reform rather than genuine operational concerns. They emphasized their obligation is to American citizens, not to protect internal bureaucratic comfort — and insisted the bureau is now delivering results and restoring trust in law enforcement at a time when many Americans feel institutions have failed them.
