I believe the deputy director position at FBI is more essential than the director role. While the director sets the course for the FBI, the deputy steers the ship.

A far-right conspiracy theorist and podcaster who called the FBI “irredeemably corrupt” will now run the day-to-day operations of the agency he despises. Dan Bongino, who spent just two years as a New York police officer and 12 as Secret Service agent and has never led large teams or worked at the FBI, will now have to figure out how to run the agency of 38,000 employees.

Bongino’s lack of qualifications is the least of my concerns. We’ve become almost numb to the reality that President Donald Trump has named Cabinet officials and sub-Cabinet leaders, including new FBI Director Kash Patel, who aren’t qualified to lead. I’m more concerned with Bongino’s disturbing statements, his political love affair with Trump and his penchant for promoting conspiracy theories that could turn the FBI into a dangerous and Machiavellian machine.\

Based on my 25 years at the FBI, including serving as an assistant director, I’d assert that the deputy director position at FBI is more essential than the director role. While the director sets the course for the FBI, the deputy steers the ship. The daily operations — particularly the highest-profile and most serious criminal and national security investigations — are briefed every morning to the deputy and often throughout the day and after hours.