Bailey will now serve alongside Bongino in the number-two role, Patel and Bondi confirmed to Fox News Digital, which first broke the story. Bongino, who was appointed as the FBI’s sole deputy director earlier this year, shocked colleagues in July when he largely isolated himself from internal operations following the Epstein files dispute.

Last month, Bailey escalated his onslaught to a national scale. He sued Planned Parenthood Federation of America, alleging the nonprofit spread misinformation about the dangers of mifepristone, one drug in a two-drug regimen for medication abortions.