FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino raged against California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday over his opposition to President Donald Trump’s impending deployment of National Guard troops to San Francisco, which Trump recently confirmed would be carried out soon.
Speaking with Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo Sunday, Trump confirmed his administration’s plans to deploy National Guard troops to the city, pledging to make it “great.”
Newsom fired back at the announcement, declaring that “nobody wants you here,” and that Trump was poised to “ruin one of America’s greatest cities,” which Newsom once led as its mayor from 2004 to 2011.
Bongino, appearing on Fox & Friends Monday, was asked how his agency may respond if Newsom pushes back against the Trump administration’s plans to deploy National Guard members and federal agents to the city.
“We don't answer to the governor of California, we answer to the president, the American people, the attorney general and deputy attorney general, that's the chain of command,” Bongino said.
“Listen, I'm not going to get into a match here, I was going to say something different but I've got to control my Queens mouth on the air with Gavin Newsom. But when he says this comment, nobody wants you here? Really? That's kind of a BS remark! The people do want us there!”
Despite Bongino’s suggestion that Americans strongly support Trump’s use of federal troops in major cities, a Reuters poll from August found that “just 38%” of Americans supported the administration’s federal takeover of Washington, D.C. Trump has also ordered the deployment of troops to Los Angeles and Chicago.
Fox & Friends host Brian Kilmeade joined Bongino in trashing Newsom, calling him an “expert on ruining cities,” and alleging he “did ruin San Francisco” and “basically ruined the state.”
"That's a BS remark!" @FBIDDBongino rages against @GavinNewsom for opposing Trump's planned deployment of troops to San Francisco. pic.twitter.com/7YQggB2H6D
— Alexander Willis (@ReporterWillis) October 20, 2025