The deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (formerly known as the associate director) is a senior United States government position in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The office is second in command to and appointed by the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. If the director is absent or the position is vacant, the deputy director automatically takes on the additional title and role of acting director. The office is also the highest position attainable within the FBI without being appointed by the president of the United States. Responsibilities as deputy director include assisting the director and leading prominent investigations. All other FBI executives and special agents in charge report to the director through the deputy director.
Dan Bongino became the 20th deputy director in March 2025. In August 2025, the Department of Justice announced a co-deputy structure, with Missouri attorney general Andrew Bailey appointed to serve alongside Bongino. Bailey assumed the role September 15, 2025 after resigning as attorney general. Bongino resigned in January 2026 and was succeeded by Christopher Raia.
History
From 1978 to 1987, the position of deputy director was not filled due to William Hedgcock Webster's decision to divide the deputy's responsibility between three positions.
Deputy directors No. Portrait Officeholder TermDirectorPresident Start End 1 Clyde Tolson 1930 May 2, 1972J. Edgar HooverHerbert HooverFranklin D. RooseveltHarry S. TrumanDwight D. EisenhowerJohn F. KennedyLyndon B. JohnsonRichard Nixon 2 Mark Felt May 3, 1972 June 22, 1973VacantRichard Nixon 3 James B. Adams June 22, 1973 February 5, 1978Clarence M. KelleyRichard NixonGerald FordJimmy Carter 4 April 6, 1978 May 11, 1979William H. Webster 5 Floyd I. Clarke May 11, 1979 July 19, 1993Ronald ReaganWilliam S. SessionsGeorge H. W. BushBill Clinton 6 David G. Binney February 1994 December 1994Louis Freeh 7 Larry A. Potts February 1995 May 2, 1995 May 2, 1995 July 14, 1995 8 Weldon L. Kennedy August 8, 1995 February 1997 9 William J. Esposito February 28, 1997 September 30, 199710Robert M. BryantOctober 1, 1997October 31, 1999 11 Thomas J. Pickard November 1, 1999 November 30, 2001Thomas J. PickardRobert MuellerGeorge W. Bush 12 Bruce J. Gebhardt 2002 2004 13 John S. Pistole October 1, 2004 May 17, 2010Barack Obama 14 Timothy P. Murphy July 8, 2010 August 31, 2011 15 Sean M. Joyce September 1, 2011 November 30, 2013James Comey 16 Mark F. Giuliano December 1, 2013 February 1, 2016 17 Andrew McCabe February 1, 2016 January 29, 2018Donald TrumpChristopher A. Wray 18 David Bowdich January 29, 2018 April 13, 2018 April 13, 2018 February 1, 2021 19 Paul Abbate February 1, 2021 January 20, 2025 Joe Biden – Robert Kissane January 20, 2025 March 17, 2025 Kash Patel Donald Trump 20 Dan Bongino March 17, 2025 January 3, 2026 21 Andrew Bailey September 15, 2025 Incumbent 22 Christopher Raia January 12, 2026 Incumbent
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