FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino has announced that he’s stepping down from the FBI, and the rumor mill is now swirling as to why he decided he was no longer right for the job.

“When I woke up this morning, I saw a Daily Mail article that said, ‘Dan Bongino set to quit the Trump administration after FBI job put strain on his marriage,’” BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales recalls, “and that was the only thing. It was, like, it was just a rumor, right?”

“It also said Bongino’s reported intention to step down just comes two days before the deadline to release the Epstein files on Friday, which I found interesting. But we did know, I mean, there were some signs of this,” she continues.

In an interview on “Fox and Friends” months ago, Bongino did mention that he was struggling with the distance his new job put between him and his wife.

“I gave up everything for this. I mean, you know, my wife is struggling, and I’m not a victim. I’m not Jim Comey, it’s fine. I did this, and I’m proud I did it. But if you think we’re there for tea and crumpets …” Bongino said.

“I stare at these four walls all day in D.C., you know, by myself, divorced from my wife. Not divorced, but I mean, separated, divorced. And it’s hard. I mean, you know, we love each other, and it’s hard to be apart,” he added.

President Trump echoed this sentiment when he commented on Bongino’s departure, saying, “Dan did a great job. I think he wants to go back to his show.”

“I think he wants to go back to podcasting,” Gonzales repeats. “I am rendered speechless. One of the only moments in my life.”

“He’s done so much for the country,” she says. “And, by the way, I appreciate the sacrifice that he mentioned, but it’s like, yeah, we know. Can you stop complaining? Do your job.”

“This is my take on it,” BlazeTV contributor Matthew Marsden chimes in. “Dan is a patriot. We all knew when he gave up his show that he was sacrificing millions of dollars for the country.”

“It’s not like he’s someone that came out of something completely different to go into the FBI. He knows the job. He knows the job. So, he knew what the strain would be on his marriage. And I’m not saying that it’s not having a strain on his marriage, but what I will say is, those difficulties are worth it if you are seeing a change and if you are seeing results,” he continues.

Gonzales points out that through his social media posts, Bongino often alluded to uncovering major details regarding the Epstein case — which she believes may have led to him being frustrated that he couldn’t share them later.

“He’s leaving all of these nuggets to make it sound like, ‘Oh, we are uncovering all sorts of crazy things. I can’t wait to share it with you.’ And then we never quite got the other part of that, right? We never were told really what it is,” Gonzales says. “And so, you have to wonder, like, okay, he must be very frustrated.”

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A series about a closeted gay soldier in the military during the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” era of the 1990s has been canceled by Netflix after being previously criticized by the Pentagon.

“Boots” was about a gay Louisiana teen named Cameron Cope who “finds new purpose — and unexpected brotherhood — with his motley team of fellow recruits,” as described by Netflix.

‘It’s clear #BOOTS is getting canned so Netflix doesn’t offend the big nasty b***h living in the White House.’

The series lasted only one season and had been lambasted by officials of the Trump administration in a statement to Entertainment Weekly in October.

“Under President Trump and Secretary [Pete] Hegseth, the U.S. military is getting back to restoring the warrior ethos. Our standards across the board are elite, uniform, and sex-neutral because the weight of a rucksack or a human being doesn’t care if you’re a man, a woman, gay, or straight,” said Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson.

“[The military] will not compromise our standards to satisfy an ideological agenda, unlike Netflix whose leadership consistently produces and feeds woke garbage to their audience and children,” Wilson added.

Many online blamed President Donald Trump for the cancellation.

“Boots was critically and commercially successful, but because the President and his Secretary of Defense are such man baby snowflakes who are mad gay service men are more manly than they’ll ever be Netflix cancelled the show so they could get the WB merger to go through,” said one person on the X platform.

“It’s clear #BOOTS is getting canned so Netflix doesn’t offend the big nasty bitch living in the White House, which might make him get in the way of their Warner Bros purchase. We are truly living in an era of censorship and spineless bootlicking,” another detractor said.

RELATED: Gavin Newsom tries to hit Trump administration on energy prices — and gets humiliated

“Netflix has cancelled their show Boots after 1 season. … Despite a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes & making it to #2 on Netflix, they’d rather lick Trump’s balls to get their merger approved,” another message reads.

The series is based on the memoir titled “The Pink Marine” by Greg Cope White. The show was highly rated on Rotten Tomatoes, with 90% approval and a 7.9 rating on IMDB.

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Iconic NASCAR driver Greg Biffle died in a plane crash on Thursday in a horrific incident that reportedly involved his family members.

Biffle, 55, had 56 NASCAR national series wins throughout his career, including two championships.

‘We are devastated. I’m so sorry to share this.’

On Thursday, Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina reported that an aircraft had crashed while landing at 10:15 a.m.

The FAA arrived to investigate the incident at around 12 p.m., the airport stated.

Iredell County officials soon confirmed the plane crash, with the county sheriff confirming that several people had died in the crash, according to WCNC-TV. WCCB-TV later reported that multiple witnesses and family friends confirmed that Biffle and his wife were on the plane.

Jordan Bianchi, motorsports reporter for the Athletic, wrote on X that North Carolina State Highway Patrol stated there were seven total fatalities from the crash and that they “believe that Mr. Greg Biffle was one of the deceased occupants.”

Garrett Mitchell, a YouTuber who goes by the name Cleetus McFarland and has over 4.5 million subscribers, made a Facebook post with similar remarks.

“Unfortunately, I can confirm Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, daughter Emma, and son Ryder were on that plane … because they were on their way to spend the afternoon with us. We are devastated. I’m so sorry to share this,” Mitchell wrote.

RELATED: NASCAR owner sells vehicles to ICE — and liberals are outraged

Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images

Mitchell lives in Florida, and Biffle’s plane was reportedly headed to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport in Florida before it crashed, with the airport CEO issuing a statement.

“We are deeply saddened by the news of the Cessna C550 aircraft crash at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina and en route to SRQ this morning. Our thoughts and prayers are with those on board and with their families and loved ones during this difficult time. Our thoughts also go out to the first responders who we know are diligently working to assist all those involved,” the statement said.

Last year, Mitchell and Biffle teamed up to deliver disaster relief supplies in North Carolina via helicopter after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina.

RELATED: Beloved race car driver dies after mid-race catastrophe has officials tearing his car apart

Geoff Burke/Getty Images

Flight logs reportedly showed that the aircraft was traveling over 100 mph at the time of the crash, WCCB stated. The plane was described as a Cessna C550 business jet with tail number N257BW. The outlet also confirmed the plane belonged to Biffle.

Republican Rep. Richard Hudson (N.C.) wrote on X that he was “devastated by the loss of Greg, Cristina, and their children, and my heart is with all who loved them.”

The congressman added, “They were friends who lived their lives focused on helping others. Greg was a great NASCAR champion who thrilled millions of fans. But he was an extraordinary person as well, and will be remembered for his service to others as much as for his fearlessness on the track.”

Biffle was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023 for his “spectacular start in the 1990s” that ran through the 2000s.

“Though Biffle has stepped away from full-time competition at the NASCAR national level, the longtime veteran made five starts in 2022, including the season-opening Daytona 500. His last full season was in 2016,” NASCAR wrote.

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A person of interest has been identified in connection with the deadly Brown University shooting Saturday, a warrant has been issued, and authorities are investigating possible ties between the Brown shooting and the fatal shooting of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor days later, according to multiple reports.

The New York Times — citing a law enforcement official briefed on the matter who wasn’t authorized to speak about the investigation — reported Thursday that authorities have identified a person of interest in the Brown shooting and are investigating a possible connection with the MIT professor’s fatal shooting.

‘A shooting in a state where it’s so hard to even have a gun?’

Both CBS News and the Associated Press reported similarly to the Times; both CBS News and Fox News reported that a warrant has been issued.

The Times reported that the official said investigators are searching for the individual as well as a car that the person is believed to have rented — and that authorities believe the rented vehicle is the same make and model of a car identified in connection with the shooting of the MIT professor, the official said.

Authorities have not publicly identified a suspect in either case, the Times also said.

RELATED: Brown U. suspected shooter’s DNA gathered; images, video of person of interest match eyewitness descriptions: Police

Blaze News reported that MIT professor Nuno Loureiro was fatally shot in his Brookline, Massachusetts, home Monday night and died in a hospital early Tuesday.

Brookline — a Boston suburb that’s less than a half hour from MIT — is about 90 minutes northeast of Providence, Rhode Island, where Brown University is located.

The FBI had told the AP it knew of no connection between the deadly shooting at Brown and the fatal shooting of Loureiro. However, WPRI-TV reported that multiple people familiar with the investigation said they discovered evidence showing the two crimes may be linked.

WBZ-TV said in its video report that Loureiro, 47, was shot several times in the foyer of his home; a neighbor said he lived in a first-floor apartment.

A reporter suggested to the neighbor on camera that the crime is atypical for Brookline, and the neighbor replied that it was a “surprise … and a shooting in a state where it’s so hard to even have a gun?” The neighbor also said fellow neighbors noted a nearby car was “parked in the wrong direction” and “seemed to be waiting.”

RELATED: Prominent MIT professor — reportedly Jewish, pro-Israel — shot to death in his home; no suspect in custody

The Jerusalem Post reported that Loureiro was Jewish and a vocal pro-Israel nuclear scientist. However, the Post added that it could not confirm speculations by Jewish organizations that Loureiro was targeted for his political affiliations.

Blaze News earlier Thursday reported that Providence police said the Brown University suspected shooter’s DNA had been gathered and that images and video of a person of interest match eyewitness descriptions.

A person of interest was initially detained over the weekend before law enforcement determined they had the wrong guy.

This is a developing story and may be updated.

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​Brown university shooting, Mit professor shooting, Fatal shootings, Person of interest, Police, Massachusetts institute of technology, Providence, Rhode island, Person of interest identified, Crime 

Former NFL standout Keyshawn Johnson took to social media this week after a run-in with a “Caucasian” woman whom he guessed to be no older than 65 — because he was upset that she asked him if he was an Uber Eats driver.

“So, I just went to pick up food from a restaurant down the street from my crib. And I live in an affluent neighborhood. You know, it’s many different ethnicities and all of those sort of things, and people make money and, you know, they live a certain lifestyle,” Johnson said into the camera.

“So, when I walk in the restaurant to pick up my food, I had somebody who’s a Caucasian — I’m African-American, whatnot — ask me if I was, like, a Uber Eats or DoorDash or something, you know, picking up the food for delivery or whatever. She says, ‘Oh, are you here with Uber Eats?’” he explained.

“I was like, ‘No, I’m not,’ and then I proceed to move forward and say, ‘Everybody that’s a minority isn’t Uber Eats or picking up food to go and delivering service or nothing like that,’” he said.

Johnson went on to claim that the woman tried to backtrack and say she “didn’t mean it that way,” and that “she couldn’t have been no more than, like, 65.”

“I mean, I understand they get plastic surgery and all that, but she couldn’t have been no more than, like, 65 years old. But the fact that she would ask me something like that, it rubbed me the wrong way. And I just want to know what y’all think,” he said, asking, “Am I overreacting?”

“If I’m sensitive, y’all let me know,” he added.

“Keyshawn, you’re sensitive,” BlazeTV host Jason Whitlock answers.

“I hope there’s someone in his circle that could tell him that someone asking you, ‘Hey, do you have a job?’ or you’re working a job or whatever, or mistaking you for someone who’s working, that’s not an insult,” he continues.

“Keyshawn, you’re being overly sensitive,” he adds.

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Border Patrol agents in Southern California arrested 49 illegal aliens who, despite their unlawful status, were in possession of commercial driver’s licenses, Blaze News has exclusively learned.

El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents arrested some of those individuals while conducting vehicle stops at immigration checkpoints between November 23 and December 12. Others were apprehended during a two-day interagency operation.

‘The individuals arrested should never have been operating these semitrucks, and the states issuing them commercial driver’s licenses are directly responsible for the fatal accidents we have tragically witnessed recently.’

While stopping vehicles at checkpoints along Highway 86 and 111, Indio Station agents nabbed 42 illegal aliens who were operating semitrucks. Of these arrested individuals, 30 were from India, while the others were from El Salvador, China, Eritrea, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Russia, Somalia, Turkey, and Ukraine.

Customs and Border Patrol reported that 31 of the CDLs were issued by California. The other licenses were issued by Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington.

Indio Station agents also participated in Operation Highway Sentinel, an enforcement operation held on December 10 and 11, in collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.

The initiative aimed to enhance the safety of America’s roadways following several recent fatal accidents involving illegal alien truck drivers.

RELATED: Illegal alien bus driver who can’t speak English allegedly kills American while ‘distracted by a video on his phone’

Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images

The joint operation specifically targeted commercial trucking operations in California and resulted in the arrests of 45 illegal aliens with CDLs. The seven individuals arrested by Indio Station were from India, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

RELATED: Trump’s DOT claims 53% of New York’s non-domiciled CDLs were issued illegally

Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images

“El Centro Sector personnel are stalwart defenders of our nation’s security, whether that occurs at the border or in the interior of the United States,” said El Centro Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Joseph Remenar. “Since the beginning of Fiscal Year 2026, El Centro Sector’s arrests of individuals in the interior have surpassed those at the border, directly illustrating what can be accomplished when a secure border is achieved.”

“The success of this operation highlights the ongoing dangers posed by the unmitigated border crisis we experienced prior to 2025,” Remenar continued. “The individuals arrested should never have been operating these semitrucks, and the states issuing them commercial driver’s licenses are directly responsible for the fatal accidents we have tragically witnessed recently. Together, with our allied partners in Homeland Security Investigations and other agencies, El Centro Sector will continue to ensure that the safety of the American public is at the forefront of our efforts.”

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A star wide receiver on the Los Angeles Rams football team has apologized for agreeing to make an anti-Semitic gesture for a touchdown celebration.

During a livestream, Puka Nacua was persuaded by personality Adin Ross to perform a gesture that refers to a trope and meme meant to smear Jewish people. He also agreed to repeat the dance at the next Rams game.

‘At the time, I had no idea this act was antisemitic in nature and perpetrated harmful stereotypes against Jewish people.’

Nacua faced an immediate barrage of criticism that led to his posting an apology on social media Thursday.

“When I appeared the other day on a social media livestream, it was suggested to me to perform a specific movement as part of my next touchdown celebration,” wrote Nacua on his Instagram account.

“At the time, I had no idea this act was antisemitic in nature and perpetrated harmful stereotypes against Jewish people,” he added. “I deeply apologize to anyone who was offended by my actions as I do not stand for any form of racism, bigotry or hate of another group of people.”

The incident comes at a time when the Jewish community is reeling from a horrific terror attack in Australia that took the lives of more than a dozen people and is being investigated as motivated by anti-Semitism.

Among those who condemned Nacua was Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California.

“The Los Angeles Jewish community is on edge after the Bondi Beach massacre,” he wrote on social media. “And what does this asshole @AsapPuka do? He promises an antisemitic touchdown dance for his Thursday night game.”

Swalwell added, “He should apologize or be dropped.”

Others said if Nacua did the gesture during the game, he should be suspended by the NFL.

RELATED: Christian NFL star apologizes after reference to kids’ game that left LGBTQ crowd seething

The NFL and the Los Angeles Rams also released statements condemning the offensive gesture.

Nacua and the Rams will play on Thursday Night Football against the Seattle Seahawks. Each team has a record of 11 victories and only three losses for the season.

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The DNA of the Brown University suspected shooter has been gathered, and images and video of the person of interest in Saturday’s deadly shooting at the Rhode Island Ivy League college match eyewitness descriptions, police told the Providence Journal.

Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez said law enforcement has DNA of the suspected shooter “from inside” that could be used to confirm his presence at the scene once officials have someone to compare it to, the Journal reported.

‘All video imagery has been turned over to law enforcement.’

The shooting took place in a first-floor classroom in the school’s Barus and Holley building, which houses the School of Engineering and the physics department. Two students were fatally shot; nine others were wounded.

Attorney General Peter Neronha added to the Journal that DNA is “powerful” evidence because it can confirm the identity of a subject or rule people in or out after it’s entered into a nationwide system.

RELATED: At least 2 killed, more wounded in shooting at Brown University

Perez also told the paper that witnesses and surviving students gave a description of the shooter that matches the person of interest as seen on video and in still images that law enforcement has distributed.

Neronha told the Journal that investigators are being protective of what witnesses have said about the shooter or the shooting so they can protect witnesses from being swayed by outside information.

“As we interview witnesses, we don’t want them to learn facts from these press conferences. We want them to relay the facts that they have in their heads, including a person of interest,” Neronha said during a news conference, according to the paper. “We don’t want a person of interest to shape what they’re telling us. … So we’re being careful about the facts that we’re sharing for that reason, so that when we talk to witnesses, what we’re getting is their factual recitation.”

More from the Journal:

Authorities have struggled to convince members of the public that, despite Brown University’s vast resources, there was no camera working in the Barus & Holley Building that captured the shooter entering the building before opening fire.

Brown Provost Francis Doyle III said the school has 1,200 cameras on campus, including some in the old section of the building where the shooting occurred. But that does not mean the cameras captured an image of the shooter.

“All video imagery has been turned over to law enforcement,” Doyle added, according to the paper.

A person of interest was initially detained over the weekend before law enforcement determined they had the wrong guy.

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​Brown university, Deadly shooting, Providence, Rhode island, Police, Person of interest, Dna, Eyewitness descriptions, Suspected shooter, Shooter still at large, Crime