Missouri attorney general to serve as co-deputy FBI director

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey is joining the Justice Department as the co-deputy director of the FBI, he announced Monday.

Bailey is set to share duties as deputy FBI director with Dan Bongino, a staunch Trump ally whose future in the role came into question amid clashes over the case of the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

"I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to serve as the Co-Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation," Bailey said in a statement. "I extend my deepest gratitude to President Trump and U.S. Attorney General Bondi for the privilege to join in their stated mission to Make America Safe Again.”

Bailey was appointed Missouri attorney general in 2022 to replace Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), who left the post to serve in the Senate. Bailey won a full term as attorney general last November.

Bailey has positioned himself as staunchly pro-Trump, including by defending the president amid his slew of indictments and legal problems in 2023 and 2024.

He joins the FBI at a time when the agency's leadership has been at the center of debate over releasing more information related to Epstein.

The Justice Department and FBI issued a joint memo last month that stated Epstein did not have a client list and confirmed he died by suicide in his New York City jail cell in 2019. The findings incensed members of the MAGA movement, who have for years pushed conspiracy theories about Epstein’s death and claims that prominent Democrats would be named on a client list.

Bongino was furious over the handling of the Epstein documents and clashed with Justice Department leaders, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, over the issue. Bongino, a former law enforcement officer turned podcast host, reportedly did not show up to work for a few days amid the uproar.

Bongino and FBI Director Kash Patel have in recent weeks refocused their attention on efforts to crack down on crime, including in Washington, D.C.