OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Conservative host Dan Bongino would be such a suitable pick to lead the United States Secret Service that he’s even getting praise from one top liberal.
During an interview on CNN with host Brianna Keilar, former Fox News host Geraldo Rivera said Bongino “would do the job” as the Secret Service director amid reports that President-elect Donald Trump is considering him for the top post.
“And it is interesting to get your perspective as someone who spent a lot of time with him. But I also want to ask you about Dan Bongino because I’m sure that you saw this. He’s being floated as Secret Service director. The possibility of — I mean, there you go. And I just want to be clear for our viewers who aren’t familiar, you two sparred a lot on Fox. And man, am I being understated when I say that. How would you feel about him being Secret Service director?” Keilar asked.
“I can’t imagine anyone who I feel — I feel more fiercely combative with than Dan Bongino. If he were to walk into a bar and I was having a beer, you know, we’d probably square off. We disagree on everything. You know, we — you know, I think he has his own set of facts. I think he’s, you know, a provocateur. But I go back, I go back to what I said about Major Pete,” Rivera began.
“I have no issue at all with his — with his honesty, his credibility, his character, his patriotism, his love of the Secret Service. I think all those things are positive for Bongino. And, you know, I think that in some ways all of these people in the cabinet, and you could name others as well, Dr. Oz, are great on TV. They are bigger than life. They’re great communicators,” he added.
Rivera continued, I see where the president-elect was going with this cabinet. Can they do the job? You know, the day-to-day, the administrative stuff, running these businesses, and they are giant businesses, even though they’re government agencies, you know, I guess we’ll — we’ll see. Some will, some won’t. But I — with Bongino, you know, I would — let me put it this way, if I was a target and Bongino was on the job, I feel that Bongino would keep me safe. He would do the job, Brianna.”
WATCH:
There are rumors that Bongino, a former Fox News host, could be Trump’s choice for head of the Secret Service.
Bongino used to work for the USSS and is a harsh critic of the service now that two failed efforts to kill Trump have happened. The possible pick has mostly only been talked about on social media, but Forbes also reported that Trump is attempting to decide between Bongino and Sean Curran.
Bongino has previously written, “Let me be perfectly clear: the [first] assassination attempt on President Trump was a catastrophic failure on behalf of the United States Secret Service.”
Former USSS Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned after being grilled by Congress and being told by both parties that she had to leave or be fired after the first attempt on her life and the agency’s gross lack of competence came to light.
“Trump has chosen people for a handful of Senate-confirmed Cabinet-level jobs, and he’s picked a White House chief of staff, a communications director, and a national security adviser among the key roles that don’t require confirmation,” Forbes reported.
“Trump decamped to Mar-a-Lago after his win, holding meetings with his inner circle, administration hopefuls, and transition team to craft his second term agenda and build out his staff. Trump is shaping his second-term agenda with the help of several right-wing groups, his closest allies, and billionaire backers. Musk, who has been spotted on numerous occasions at Mar-A-Lago since his election, is among those who appear to be influencing Trump’s policy and personnel decisions,” the outlet added.
Lutnick is also overseeing a team making recommendations for personnel picks and vetting potential candidates, and Miller is expected to play a key role in making the final decisions. The right-wing think tank America First Policy Institute is reportedly the primary driver of Trump’s transition plans and has been crafting possible executive actions for Trump once he takes office. The organization is chaired by former Trump Small Business Administration leader Linda McMahon and led by former Trump Domestic Policy Counsel Director Brook Rollins,” the outlet continued.
