Bongino Thoroughly Eviscerates a New York Times Article Claiming USA is Less Safe

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino issued a strong public response Saturday to a New York Times editorial that accused the FBI of becoming politicized under President Donald Trump and claimed that recent reforms have made the country “less safe.”

Bongino, who has served in the Bureau’s leadership since 2024, called the piece a misrepresentation of the FBI’s current mission and outcomes, dismissing it as unsupported by data.

The New York Times editorial board argued that the FBI has shifted from its core mission under Trump’s administration and alleged that changes under Bongino and FBI Director Kash Patel have weakened national security.

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The article did not cite specific statistical evidence to support its claims.

Bongino responded to the editorial in a lengthy post on X, describing the article as “precisely why hard-working Americans simply do not trust the media.” He criticized the piece as a “poorly thought out hit piece” and asserted that it ignored data showing substantial crime reductions and successful enforcement operations carried out under the Bureau’s restructured initiatives.

“The conclusion of the piece is so ridiculous that a child could debunk it,” Bongino wrote.

“They comically assert that you are ‘less safe’ because Kash and I have aggressively reformed the FBI. Yet, they produce NO evidence whatsoever to back up that claim. And the reason they don’t produce any evidence is because the numbers tell the opposite story.”

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Bongino then outlined several key accomplishments tied to the Bureau’s recent initiatives, particularly the violent crime operation “Summer Heat.” According to Bongino, the program has contributed to a significant national reduction in the murder rate, which he says is “trending to be the lowest in U.S. history by a longshot.”

Bongino also highlighted a range of enforcement statistics from the past several months. According to his figures:

• 14,000 violent criminals have been arrested, representing a 62% increase from the same period last year.
• More than 100 children were rescued from exploitation, with over 825 child predators and 140 human traffickers arrested.
• 51 foreign intelligence operatives were detained for espionage and smuggling activities.
• Federal partnerships led to the arrest, imprisonment, and deportation of more than 18,000 illegal aliens—many with prior violent criminal histories.
• 800 individuals were arrested for attempting to interfere with federal enforcement operations.
• Drug enforcement operations resulted in the seizure of 44,000 kilos of cocaine, 3,500 kilos of methamphetamine, and 1,210 kilos of fentanyl—a 22% increase over the previous year.
• Three of the FBI’s “Top Ten Most Wanted” fugitives were apprehended, with progress reported on others.

Bongino also noted the dismantling of major criminal organizations, including what he described as “the largest TDA gang takedown ever.”

While he declined to elaborate on recent counter-terrorism successes due to classification, he stated, “I promise you, it’s happening.”

The editorial in question did not address these figures or provide counter-data to refute the effectiveness of current Bureau programs.

Bongino argued that the editorial board’s conclusions were driven by political bias rather than public safety outcomes.

This NY Times article is precisely why hard-working Americans simply do not trust the media.

The article is a poorly thought out hit piece which attempts to address the dramatic personnel changes we’ve made, along with the enterprise-wide reorganization Director Patel and I…

— Dan Bongino (@FBIDDBongino) July 5, 2025

The New York Times editorial arrives amid broader criticism from left-leaning media and political figures over law enforcement policy shifts under President Trump’s second term.

Meanwhile, supporters of the administration point to increased criminal enforcement metrics and internal reform as evidence of a refocused Bureau, one they argue is prioritizing violent crime, border enforcement, and national security.

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