One day before The New York Times published a critical piece on FBI leadership changes, Deputy Director Dan Bongino slammed the outlet for sensationalizing an internal training dispute.
Bongino, a former Secret Service agent turned conservative commentator, addressed a physical sparring match during FBI training, saying the incident was exaggerated.
He acknowledged being outmatched by a younger jujitsu-trained instructor and clarified he only experienced mild elbow swelling—not a serious shoulder injury. Bongino accused the Times’ Adam Goldman of turning routine training into scandal, mocking the report as unserious.
The Times article didn’t mention any injury but did include criticism from former agent Kyle Seraphin, who questioned Bongino and FBI Director Kash Patel’s leadership. Seraphin claimed the pair had become symbols of the agency’s increasingly performative internal culture.
