The head of the FBI’s New York field office has confirmed his departure from the agency after being asked to retire without being provided with an explanation. In a communication to his colleagues, James Dennehy acknowledged he was told late on Friday to submit his retirement paperwork. This change takes place during a tumultuous period for the FBI, following the appointment of new FBI Director Kash Patel last month and the selection of conservative podcaster and Trump backer Dan Bongino as deputy director.
The FBI is currently dealing with an uncommon request from the Justice Department, which has demanded a list of thousands of agents involved in investigations related to the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riots. Some within the FBI viewed this order as a potential prelude to en masse terminations. Dennehy, a former Marine, was among those who defied the directive, expressing in a message to colleagues his determination to “dig in,” according to previous news reports.
In a farewell note to his coworkers, Dennehy shared his resolve to continue supporting the FBI from outside the agency. “I will never stop defending this joint. I’ll just do it willingly and proudly from outside the wire,” he wrote, highlighting his commitment to upholding the ideals he cherished during his tenure.
Dennehy also listed aspects he would miss about his role, specifically emphasizing the agency’s autonomy and its unwavering commitment to ethical principles: “The independence. We will not bend. We will not falter. We will not sacrifice what is right for anything or anyone.” The FBI did not comment on the situation, and a spokesperson for the Justice Department was unavailable for immediate comment.
Recently, a further issue surfaced when Attorney General Pam Bondi claimed, without evidence, that the New York FBI office was withholding thousands of documents related to financier Jeffrey Epstein. She demanded the release of “the full and complete Epstein files” and instructed Patel to launch an immediate inquiry into the non-compliance of her previous directives.
Dennehy took charge of the New York field office last September, appointed by former FBI Director Christopher Wray. His career with the FBI began in 2002 as a special agent focusing on counterintelligence in New York. He moved to the bureau’s headquarters in 2015, where he progressed to serve as section chief a year later. His roles also included leading the national security branch as chief of staff, heading the counterintelligence and cyber division in New York, and managing the Newark, New Jersey, field office.
