Speaking on Fox & Friends, Bongino said, “The second we got in, I put a team on it and I said, ‘I want answers on this.’ And I’m pretty confident that we’re closing in on some suspects.”
Two pipe bombs were discovered near the Republican and Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C., as crowds gathered at the U.S. Capitol to protest the certification of the 2020 presidential election results. The devices were found just before the violence erupted at the Capitol.
The investigation into the pipe bombs had largely gone quiet under the Biden administration, leading to speculation among some of former President Donald Trump’s supporters about potential security failures or lack of transparency. Bongino, a former Secret Service agent and conservative media personality, was among those questioning the FBI’s handling of the case before joining the bureau.
On his podcast, Bongino previously suggested the bureau had misled the public and raised the possibility of an “inside job.” Now serving as the FBI’s second-in-command, he faces mounting pressure to provide answers and transparency.
The FBI has released surveillance footage showing an unidentified individual placing the bombs more than 16 hours before they were discovered. The suspect is seen wearing a gray hoodie, Nike Air Max Speed Turf sneakers, a face mask, glasses, and gloves. In early 2021, the bureau estimated the person to be about 5-foot-7.
The first bomb was discovered around 1 p.m. when a Capitol Hill resident spotted it in an alley behind the RNC headquarters while retrieving her laundry. Surveillance footage captured her sprinting to alert a nearby security guard, triggering a broader search that uncovered a second device near the DNC.
A 2024 report by the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general confirmed the bombs were “viable” and could have caused serious harm. Each device included a one-hour kitchen timer, but an FBI official later told DHS investigators the bombs likely couldn’t have detonated, as the timers had long expired by the time they were found.
That same report — along with findings from a Republican-led House investigation — revealed that then-Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were at one point within feet of the DNC bomb.
The FBI says it has received over 600 tips and is still offering a $500,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Early leads included a suspect who searched for “pipe bomb DC” online and another who purchased the same model of Nike sneakers worn by the individual in the video. However, according to Fox News, the pace of the investigation slowed after the first month due to a lack of actionable leads.
Last week, former FBI Director James Comey criticized current leadership — including Director Kash Patel and Bongino — for reopening cases involving “potential public corruption” and announcing developments on social media. Some viewed Comey’s remarks as an attempt to deflect attention from his own controversial tenure at the bureau.
With renewed energy under Bongino’s leadership, the pipe bomb case may finally be approaching a long-awaited turning point.