WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino announced Wednesday that he will step down next month, bringing an end to a short and contentious tenure marked by clashes with the Justice Department and the challenge of reconciling his past as a provocative conservative commentator with the demands of federal law enforcement leadership.

Bongino’s departure is set to be one of the most high-profile exits of the Trump administration. It comes amid ongoing turmoil at the FBI, including the dismissal of career agents and continued scrutiny of Director Kash Patel over his use of a government aircraft for personal travel and social media commentary on active investigations.

In a post on X, Bongino confirmed his decision, thanking the administration for the “opportunity to serve with purpose.” He did not specify an exact departure date in January or outline his next steps. Earlier Wednesday, President Donald Trump addressed Bongino’s future, saying, “Dan did a great job. I think he wants to go back to his show.”

Patel praised Bongino in a separate social media post, calling him “the best partner I could’ve asked for” and crediting him with exceeding expectations in his role. “Our country is better and safer for it,” Patel wrote, adding that Bongino would be missed.

Bongino was an unconventional choice for the FBI’s second-in-command position, which traditionally oversees the bureau’s daily operations and is typically held by a career FBI official. Although he previously served as a New York City police officer and a U.S. Secret Service agent, neither Bongino nor Patel had prior experience at the FBI before their appointments. Both entered their roles pledging sweeping reforms to an agency they argued had been politicized against Trump.

Appointed in March, Bongino arrived after years as a prominent conservative podcast host, during which he frequently criticized FBI leadership and promoted conspiracy theories related to the Jeffrey Epstein sex-trafficking case and the pipe bombs discovered in Washington ahead of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.

As deputy director, Bongino used social media to address Trump supporters frustrated by what they viewed as slow progress on investigations they prioritized. He sought to reassure them that renewed attention was being given to unresolved cases, including the pipe bomb investigation, the leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion in 2022, and the discovery of cocaine at the White House during the Biden administration.

However, he struggled to meet expectations from segments of Trump’s base that anticipated swift reforms and dramatic revelations. On the Epstein case, Bongino had previously questioned the official conclusion that Epstein died by suicide in jail in 2019. After assuming his FBI role, he reversed course publicly, telling Fox News, “I’ve seen the whole file. He killed himself.”

Bongino had also suggested as recently as last year that the Jan. 6 pipe bombs were part of an “inside job” or a cover-up involving anti-Trump actors. Those claims resurfaced after the FBI arrested a 30-year-old Virginia man earlier this month with no apparent government ties, fueling skepticism among some supporters.

In a Fox News interview with Sean Hannity, Bongino addressed the contrast between his past commentary and his current responsibilities. “I was paid in the past for my opinions,” he said. “Now I’m paid to be your deputy director, and we base investigations on facts.”

Speculation about Bongino’s future intensified following a tense White House meeting last July with Attorney General Pam Bondi, after the FBI and Justice Department abruptly announced they would not release additional Epstein-related records. Bongino went quiet on social media for several days afterward, prompting reports that he was considering resignation.

In August, the administration took the unusual step of appointing a co–deputy director, former Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey.

Bondi joined other officials in praising Bongino on Wednesday, writing on X that Americans were safer because of his service. “Thank you, Dan,” she said.