Trump administration beefs up FBI: Andrew Bailey joins as deputy assistant director alongside Dan Bongino

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has been named deputy assistant director of the FBI and will work in tandem with current Deputy Director Dan Bongino, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, and the agency's director, Kash Patel.

Bailey, a war veteran, joins the FBI at a defining moment for the Donald Trump administration, which is pushing a heavy-handed security agenda, actively seeking to reduce violent crime in major cities across the country, especially in the capital, Washington, DC. Fox News was the first media outlet to report the decision.

"I am thrilled to welcome Andrew Bailey as co-deputy director of the FBI," Bondi said. "He has served as a distinguished state attorney general and is a decorated war veteran, bringing expertise and dedication to service. His leadership and commitment to the country will be a tremendous asset as we work together to advance President Trump’s mission."

FBI Director Kash Patel emphasized that the agency will continue to add the best talent in the country to meet the federal government's goals: "The FBI, as the leading investigative body of the federal government under the Department of Justice, will always bring the greatest talent this country has to offer in order to accomplish the goals set forth when an overwhelming majority of American people elected President Donald J. Trump again." 

Following the nomination, Bailey publicly thanked President Trump.

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

During his tenure as attorney general in Missouri, Bailey was recognized for pushing for a human trafficking task force, eliminating the sexual assault forensic evidence backlog, and defending St. Louis police in high-profile civil litigation. He was also praised for going after officials who engaged in malfeasance and corruption.

A senior Trump Administration official explained that the nomination is because the president "wants to see criminals prosecuted, illegals deported, and corrupt politicians held accountable," and Bailey has a positive record of fighting crime.

For now, under Kash Patel's watch, the FBI has doubled the number of arrests over 2024, with more than 19,000 so far in 2025, Fox News reported.

The arrests, in part, correspond to 1,600 violent crimes against minors and 270 human trafficking cases, Patel reported in 'X.' Also, 2025 has already completed the capture of three of the "10 most wanted" and the rescue of 4,000 minor victims, as well as the seizure of 1,500 kilos of fentanyl and 6,300 kilos of methamphetamine.