In a dramatic shake-up at the FBI, Director Kash Patel reportedly fired at least 10 agents tied to the investigation of former President Donald Trump over classified documents, multiple news outlets revealed Wednesday. The dismissals mark a bold move by Patel against what many see as a politicized, out-of-control FBI.
The firings follow Patel’s probe into the bureau’s questionable handling of subpoenas during former Special Counsel Jack Smith’s federal investigation into Trump’s retention of classified materials after leaving office in 2021. According to Patel, the FBI’s targeting went too far.
After discovering that the bureau had subpoenaed his and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles’ phone records from when they were private citizens, Patel blasted the action as “outrageous and deeply alarming.” He accused the agency of using “flimsy pretexts” and trying to “evade all oversight” in executing the subpoenas.
Patel’s statement to Reuters on Wednesday revealed the shocking news hours before sources confirmed to CNN, CBS, and Reuters that the firings had taken place.
The crackdown wasn’t limited to just a handful of agents. Reports suggest that in recent weeks, senior FBI leaders in Atlanta and New Orleans, the acting assistant director in New York, and six agents in Miami—all linked to Smith’s probe—were terminated. These firings coincided with Smith’s congressional testimony defending his investigations.
Smith, who spearheaded the probe into Trump, had told Congress in January, “I stand by my decisions as special counsel, including the decision to bring charges against President Trump. Our investigation developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in criminal activity.”
The legal drama stems from a 2022 FBI raid on Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, which reportedly uncovered classified documents stored in public areas. Smith ultimately indicted Trump on 40 felony counts related to mishandling these materials. However, Smith’s investigation ended after Trump was re-elected to a second term.
The Trump legal team recently scored another victory when Judge Aileen Cannon, appointed by the former president, blocked the Justice Department from releasing parts of Smith’s report concerning the classified documents case. Cannon sided with Trump and his co-defendants, further complicating the federal probe.
Patel’s decisive action is seen as a long-overdue pushback against a bureau accused of overreach and political bias. Sources say the director’s moves signal a new era of accountability at the FBI—one where agents face consequences for pursuing partisan agendas rather than justice.
