After serving less than a year inside the Trump administration as Deputy Director of the FBI, Dan Bongino re-entered civilian life over the weekend the same way he’s always done things: loud, defiant, and already swinging.

Dan’s farewell posts were polite enough – gratitude to President Donald Trump, praise for FBI Director Kash Patel, and a dramatic “see you on the other side” to his fans and followers.

Then came the follow-ups.

But Dan made it crystal clear he’s not back to play footsie with what he calls “black-pillers, grifters, and bums.” Translation: the knives are out, and this isn’t about Democrats. This is a family fight. He insists this isn’t “infighting,” but “outfighting” – a surgical removal of what he views as a cancer inside the conservative movement. And if you’re spending your days complaining instead of trusting the process? There’s the exit. Don’t let the door hit your X account on the way out.

So who is Dan talking about specifically? That’s the billion-view question.

Is it Marjorie Taylor Greene, who’s proved herself to be even more of a nut job than we always thought she was? Her constant internal sniping, conspiracy flirtations, and willingness to attack fellow conservatives have made her an enemy to the MAGA base.

Is it Tucker Carlson? Carlson tried to detonate a civil war inside of MAGA-land by drifting into America-bad/West-bad territory – and by platforming voices many on the right see as hostile to Israel and outright antisemitic.

Is it Candace Owens, who has perfected the art of setting off five-alarm online fires before lunch? Her escalating commentary on Israel, Jews, and “who really controls things” crossed lines even hardened MAGA voters won’t touch. Add the constant feuding with conservative institutions, and our patience for her has snapped. Translation: MAGA likes provocateurs – not perpetual arsonists.

And notably absent from Dan’s farewell tour was any warm wishes for AG Pam Bondi. In MAGA world, silence is rarely accidental. Dan went out of his way to praise Trump and Patel, but when it came to Bondi, there were no kind words, no thank-you, not even a polite nod. This could possibly have to do with her bad handling of the Epstein files – or maybe even something else.

And is Dan also irritated with the folks on X who think Dan didn’t do enough during his time at the FBI – and who had wildly unrealistic expectations about what he could or should have done? Those who constantly complain that Trump, of all people, hasn’t done enough in their eyes? Yes. He’s blocked those yahoos, and honestly, I don’t blame him. They bring nothing of value to the MAGA cause. They just send out excessive noise and help out the Democrats.

Dan hasn’t named names – yet. But he doesn’t need to. When someone says they “helped build the movement” and won’t let it be “hijacked,” that’s a warning shot aimed inward, not across the aisle.

Dan Bongino’s first podcast this year is going to break the internet! 🍿 pic.twitter.com/cLuhnU2Q3Y

— Vince Langman (@LangmanVince) January 6, 2026