The Pentagon has drawn up a blueprint to keep American forces operating for at least 90 days even if civilian infrastructure fails. A former FBI deputy director now wants ordinary households to follow that example.
Details of the plan, code-named FORTRESS, became public only hours before Dan Bongino spoke to his audience on Monday.
Under FORTRESS, military installations would draw electricity from portable nuclear reactors, large battery systems and independent local power grids whenever blackouts strike.
The blueprint also lines up civilian factories to convert to defense production on short notice. Stockpiles of ammunition, fuel, critical minerals, electronics, spare parts and medical supplies would back that shift.
Planners want at least two qualified suppliers or production options for each critical military need. The goal is to keep the loss of any single supplier from halting operations.
Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell explained the reasoning to Fox News. “We don’t want to rely on standard civilian municipal infrastructure to run our national defense,” he said.
Bongino connected the military’s planning to life at home.
“The Pentagon’s doing its job to keep our national security safe and make “Fortress America.” You have to make “Fortress my house,” “Fortress my apartment.” Please, do it for everyone. Your neighbors are not going to have any extra food,” he said on his podcast.
His checklist covered an emergency radio, batteries, emergency food, rain collection equipment and water filtration tablets. “Get your stuff today. Please. Do it for your family,” he said.
Bongino urged families to set up a preparedness plan with at least three days of food and power. Governments across the UK and Europe are already giving their citizens that same advice.
He rejected the notion that stocking up signals alarm. “There’s nothing wrong with being prepared. It’s not panicking or anything like that,” he said.
The 51-year-old argued that “panic kills” and said the surest way to avoid disaster is to prepare for the worst case.
“I was not in the military. I haven’t been in combat but ask your heroes who have been. They will tell you: you can’t panic,” Bongino said.
Six European governments have now asked households to keep food, water, medicines and other essentials within reach: the UK, Sweden, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and France.
None of their alerts has named the specific emergency they have in mind.
The British government opened its “Be Ready” campaign on October 22.
Its updated guidance recommends three days of supplies, enough to carry families through severe weather, cyberattacks or other disruptions to essential services.
Sweden asks more of its residents. Its civil defense guidance tells households to be able to fend for themselves for at least one week “in case of crisis or war.”
The Swedish bulletin laid out its reasoning in blunt terms.
“The state of the world has worsened drastically in recent years. War is being waged in our vicinity. Extreme weather events are becoming increasingly common. Terror threats, cyberattacks, and disinformation campaigns are being used to undermine and influence us,” it stated.
Japan has joined the trend.
Disaster Management Minister Goshi Hosono announced that the government will formally urge every household on November 2 to hold at least three days of food, water and toilet supplies.
The aim is to help families cope right after a major earthquake or volcanic eruption.
Unrest has swept parts of Europe at the same time. Riots and protests have broken out in Paris, Rome, Milan, Barcelona and Tirana, the capital of Albania.
Bongino pointed to specific messages from Europe, among them a joint statement from the UK and Canada released Sunday. That statement announced stronger defense financing and closer cooperation on defense industrial readiness.
Before the FBI, Bongino served with the Secret Service and the NYPD.
He announced his resignation as the bureau’s number two on December 17, 2025, about a year into the job, and gave no clear reason.
He has since returned to conservative commentary and podcasting.
Before joining FBI director Kash Patel’s team, Bongino accused the FBI and the Justice Department of operating as a so-called “deep state” that targeted President Trump and other conservatives during the Biden administration.
In May, he told the Hang Out with Sean Hannity podcast he was “living in fear” and expected “thugs” to come for him. “I’m terrified,” he said.
