Two of America's top law enforcement officials, who previously promoted conspiracy theories about the January 6 Capitol attack, have publicly walked back their claims after overseeing the arrest of the suspect in the Washington DC pipe bomb case.
From Conspiracy Pushers to Top Investigators
FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino were prominent pro-MAGA voices before taking the helm at the federal government's premier law enforcement agency. Both had defended those who rioted at the US Capitol following Donald Trump's 2020 election defeat and had made explosive allegations about the January 5, 2021, pipe bomb plot.
Now, after nearly a year in their roles and following the arrest of suspect Brian Cole, 30, the pair have struck a markedly different tone. At a press conference detailing the arrest, Bongino stated he would commit himself to being 'guided by the facts.' Patel, meanwhile, delivered a stern message: 'When you attack American citizens, when you attack our institutions of legislation, when you attack our nation's Capitol, you attack the very being of our way of life.'
Social Media Backlash and a Cold Case Solved
The shift in rhetoric was met with swift accusations of hypocrisy on social media. One user labelled the comments 'ironic,' particularly noting that Donald Trump pardoned 1,500 January 6 protesters on his first day in office. Another called Bongino a 'clown' for admitting his old job involved pushing conspiracies.
Before his government appointment, Bongino used his far-right podcast to allege the pipe bomb case was 'the biggest scandal in FBI history.' He claimed the agency knew the bomber's identity and suggested the devices were planted to frame Trump supporters. The pipe bombs, placed at the DNC and RNC headquarters, did not detonate but were described by the FBI as potentially deadly.
After being installed in Trump's second-term FBI, Bongino was tasked with leading the investigation. He told Fox News host Sean Hannity that he demanded a full briefing on the case on his first day. The investigation had gone cold over four years, despite over 6,000 interviews and hundreds of tips. A renewed nine-month operation ultimately led to Cole's arrest in Woodbridge, Virginia.
A New Commitment to Facts
In his interview with Hannity, Bongino explicitly distanced his current role from his past work. 'I was paid in the past for my opinions, that's clear... But that's not what I'm paid for now,' he said. 'I'm paid to be your deputy director, and we base investigations on facts.' He and Patel confirmed no new tip or evidence broke the case, rather a re-examination of existing material.
The arrest of Brian Cole closes a major chapter in the aftermath of the Capitol riot. For Patel and Bongino, their public reversal underscores the profound difference between commenting from the sidelines and bearing the responsibility of directing a federal investigation where facts, not rhetoric, must prevail.
