WASHINGTON — Officials from the Trump administration are reportedly taking steps to terminate a number of FBI agents involved in investigations related to President Donald Trump, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation who spoke anonymously.
While the exact number of agents affected remains unclear, many investigators are linked to various probes concerning Trump. Administration officials have been tasked with identifying specific individuals engaged in politically sensitive inquiries, aiming for possible job termination, as indicated by the same anonymous sources.
A third source familiar with these plans noted that U.S. attorneys were instructed during a recent conference call to list the names of prosecutors and agents who participated in investigations regarding the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. The reasons behind the request for such names were not disclosed during the conversation, according to this individual, who also chose to remain anonymous.
If significant numbers of agents are dismissed, it would mark a serious infringement on the traditional independence of the FBI, the nation’s leading federal law enforcement agency, indicating Trump’s ongoing efforts to exert influence over law enforcement and intelligence institutions. This action could be seen as part of a broader pattern of retaliation against federal employees, following the recent removal of multiple senior FBI executives and a mass dismissal of prosecutors involved in the inquiries led by special counsel Jack Smith that examined Trump’s actions.
The FBI Agents Association criticized these proposed firings as “outrageous,” arguing that these actions contradict Trump’s professed support for FBI agents and the law enforcement objectives he advocates. The Association expressed concerns that the termination of numerous agents would severely impair the Bureau’s capability to safeguard the nation against criminal threats and could ultimately jeopardize the effectiveness of the Bureau’s new leadership.
Currently, it is unclear what recourse terminated agents might have, but the FBI has established protocols regarding employee terminations. Any swift actions disregarding these guidelines could potentially lead to legal challenges.
During his recent confirmation hearing, Kash Patel, Trump’s nominee for FBI director, stated that he was unaware of any plans to dismiss or penalize FBI personnel involved in investigations of Trump. If confirmed, Patel committed to adhering to the FBI’s internal review processes when addressing employee conduct.
When questioned by Democratic Senator Cory Booker whether he would rescind any actions taken before his confirmation that didn’t align with standard procedures, Patel responded, “I don’t know what’s going on right now over there, but I’m committed to you, senator, and your colleagues, that I will honor the due process of the FBI.”
In prior remarks on a podcast, Patel had mentioned perceived anti-Trump “conspirators” within the government and media.
Trump has consistently shown anger towards the FBI and Justice Department for their investigations during his presidency, including those probing connections between Russia and his 2016 campaign. His administration saw the dismissal of FBI director James Comey amid the Russia inquiry, followed by the replacement of Christopher Wray shortly after Trump’s election win last November.
When asked at the White House if he had influenced the scrutiny of the agents, Trump replied: “No, but we have some very bad people over there. It was weaponized at a level that nobody’s never seen before. They came after a lot of people — like me – but they came after a lot of people.” He further remarked, “If they fired some people over there, that’s a good thing, because they were very bad.”
The FBI and Smith’s team investigated Trump regarding his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results and his possession of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. Indictments in both cases were retracted following Trump’s November win, adhering to a long-standing Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting president.
The Justice Department also initiated charges against over 1,500 of Trump’s supporters connected to the Capitol insurrection. However, Trump utilized his first day in office to grant clemency to all of them, which included individuals convicted of violent offenses, employing pardons, sentence commutations, and dismissals of indictments.
This week, the Justice Department dismissed more than a dozen prosecutors from Smith’s team, while a group of senior FBI executives were reportedly asked to either resign or retire or face termination.
Representatives for the FBI and Justice Department have refrained from commenting on the situation. The proposed firings would occur against the wishes of acting FBI director Brian Driscoll, who has expressed his opposition to this course of action, according to sources involved in the discussions.
