FBI Dismisses Over Ten Employees Amid Trump Documents Probe; Subpoenas for Top Officials Revealed
More than ten FBI employees have been dismissed in connection with a federal investigation into former President Donald Trump's retention of classified documents. These dismissals occurred following reports that the agency had subpoenaed the personal records of Kash Patel, who is now the FBI director, and Susie Wiles, who is currently the White House chief of staff, during a period when they were private citizens.
Employee Dismissals and Investigation Context
On Wednesday, over ten FBI agents and analysts involved in the investigation led by former Justice Department Special Counsel Jack Smith were terminated. All terminated personnel were associated with the classified documents investigation concerning former President Trump. The FBI has not publicly commented on these dismissals.
Subpoena Revelations and Claims
The terminations followed a Reuters report detailing that the FBI had subpoenaed phone records of Kash Patel and Susie Wiles. At the time of the subpoenas, both Patel and Wiles were private citizens.
Patel stated that it was "outrageous and deeply alarming" that previous FBI leadership "secretly subpoenaed" his and Wiles' records using what he described as "unsubstantiated pretexts," asserting the process was designed to evade oversight. He characterized these actions as government overreach.
Reuters noted it had not independently verified Patel's claims. CBS News confirmed that Wiles' records were reviewed in the classified documents case. However, CBS News could not verify if Patel's records were reviewed in that specific case, but confirmed they were not subpoenaed in the 2020 election investigation, known as Arctic Frost.
Context: Jack Smith's Investigations into Trump
Special Counsel Jack Smith conducted two federal investigations concerning former President Trump: one regarding alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results, and another concerning the retention of classified documents and alleged obstruction of justice. These investigations led to the first federal criminal indictments against a former U.S. president.
The classified document charges were dismissed by a federal judge in Florida in mid-2024, citing an unlawful appointment of the special counsel. Smith subsequently dropped the 2020 election charges after Trump won the 2024 election, citing a Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting president. Additionally, a federal judge recently blocked further publication of Smith's report detailing his investigation findings.
Backlash and Broader Political Fallout
The FBI Agents Association issued a statement condemning the firings, asserting that they violated employees' due process rights.
The association stated that such actions "weaken the Bureau by stripping away critical expertise and destabilizing the workforce, undermining trust in leadership and jeopardizing the Bureau's ability to meet its recruitment goals—ultimately putting the nation at greater risk."
Following these events, the Trump administration took actions targeting federal employees involved in the two cases. The Justice Department dismissed prosecutors from Smith's team, and the FBI terminated agents connected to the Arctic Frost election investigation.
The GOP-led Senate Judiciary Committee later revealed that the FBI had obtained phone records of several Republican lawmakers as part of the Arctic Frost probe. These records contained call information from around January 6, 2021, but not the content of the calls. In October, Trump called for the prosecution of Smith, former Attorney General Merrick Garland, former FBI Director Christopher Wray, and other officials, citing "illegal and highly unethical behavior." Attorneys representing Smith stated that his actions were "entirely lawful, proper and consistent with established Department of Justice policy."
Kash Patel's Role and Other Personnel Controversies
Kash Patel had previously been considered a figure in the classified documents investigation. As a top adviser to Trump, he testified before a federal grand jury in Washington in 2022 regarding the retention of government documents and was granted limited immunity.
The recent dismissals are not isolated incidents regarding FBI personnel during Patel's directorship. In September, three former senior officials filed a lawsuit against Patel and the government for alleged wrongful termination, claiming they were fired for investigating Trump. In November, an official with 27 years of service was dismissed following reports that Patel expressed anger over press reports concerning his alleged personal use of a government plane.