FBI Deputy Director Bongino Reveals Major Chinese Spy Ring Bust Amid Internal Tensions

In a striking announcement on Thursday, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino disclosed that the agency has successfully dismantled a significant Chinese espionage network operating within the United States. The covert operation, which included the execution of multiple search warrants and arrests, revealed a sophisticated spy ring directly linked to the Chinese government, with agents allegedly attempting to recruit members of the U.S. military to betray national interests.

Posting the update to his social media account on X (formerly Twitter), Bongino confirmed that federal agents had conducted coordinated actions in San Francisco, Houston, Portland, and San Diego. As a result, eight search warrants were executed and two foreign agents were taken into custody.

“This is your FBI, and you deserve to know about the work we’re doing every day to keep our country and citizens safe,” Bongino wrote, framing the bust as a major win in the bureau’s ongoing counterintelligence campaign.

According to details shared by the FBI, the now-disrupted spy network had been targeting U.S. defense assets, seeking to obtain sensitive data on missile technology, drone systems, and advanced military capabilities. Additionally, the agents were said to be involved in surveillance and intimidation tactics directed at both U.S. residents and foreign dissidents on American soil.

The operation is part of a larger wave of counterintelligence efforts that have accelerated throughout 2025. Since the beginning of the year, the FBI has reportedly arrested 51 individuals tied to foreign intelligence services, including operatives from China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. The charges span a range of offenses, from economic espionage and sanctions violations to theft of classified materials and trafficking in sensitive biological data.

Bongino emphasized that the threat posed by foreign espionage has reached unprecedented levels, noting that the bureau currently manages nearly 5,000 active counterintelligence cases—more than 800 of which have been opened in 2025 alone.

“We typically work behind the scenes in this space,” he said. “But we understand we need to rebuild your trust in the FBI and learn from past mistakes.”

As part of that effort, Bongino revealed that the bureau had declassified thousands of pages of internal counterintelligence documentation and shared them with congressional oversight committees. He characterized the move as a step toward increased transparency in hopes of restoring public confidence in federal law enforcement.

“God bless America, and all those who defend Her,” he concluded in his statement.

Internal Disputes and Epstein Fallout

Despite the apparent success of the recent operation, Bongino’s role within the FBI has come under recent scrutiny. Sources inside the Justice Department revealed that the deputy director had been considering resignation just last week, following a heated disagreement with Attorney General Pam Bondi over the handling of the long-controversial Jeffrey Epstein investigation.

Bongino reportedly took a personal day last Friday, prompting speculation that he might step down. He returned to work on Monday, but insiders suggest tensions remain high within the bureau’s leadership team.

The dispute centers around the Justice Department’s recent internal review of the Epstein case. The document, delivered to Bongino and senior FBI officials this week, outlines the bureau’s position on Epstein’s 2019 death in federal custody and the subsequent handling of related files. The case continues to divide public opinion and stir controversy among conservative factions, particularly supporters of former President Donald Trump.

Bongino, who joined the Trump administration after a long career in law enforcement and media, has openly questioned the transparency surrounding Epstein’s death and the lack of accountability for those who may have been involved in broader networks of abuse and trafficking.

Fueling speculation further, some prominent voices within the MAGA movement have rallied behind Bongino, suggesting that he should have resigned in protest if he felt the Epstein case was mishandled. His ongoing frustration with the case has been evident, but so far, he has remained in his position.

Meanwhile, David Schoen, who briefly represented Epstein before his death, recently reiterated that former President Trump was not involved in any of Epstein’s alleged criminal activities. In a social media post, Schoen stated, “I can say authoritatively, unequivocally, and definitively that he [Epstein] had no information to hurt President Trump. I specifically asked him.”

Schoen’s comment comes amid renewed public interest in the Epstein case, particularly as names from his infamous client list continue to be the subject of speculation and investigation.

While the FBI’s takedown of a Chinese spy ring is being heralded as a national security victory, internal conflicts and high-profile controversies continue to swirl around the bureau’s leadership—making it clear that the challenges facing the FBI extend far beyond foreign threats.