FBI Director Kash Patel Dismisses Officials Linked to Trump Documents Investigation
In a significant shakeup at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Director Kash Patel has reportedly fired at least ten employees connected to the investigation into former President Donald Trump's handling of classified documents. This move follows explosive revelations that the FBI, under previous leadership, secretly subpoenaed the personal phone records of Patel himself and current White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles during the years before Trump's return to office.
Subpoenas and Subsequent Dismissals
The dismissals, first reported by major news outlets including CBS News and CNN, are directly linked to the federal probe led by former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith. That investigation centered on Trump's alleged mishandling of classified materials discovered at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida after his first term concluded.
During the course of this inquiry, Reuters disclosed that the FBI had subpoenaed records of phone calls made by both Patel and Wiles. At the time these subpoenas were issued, both individuals were private citizens, though they maintained close ties to Trump. The FBI has not publicly commented on these recent firings or the earlier subpoena activity.
Patel's Strong Rebuke of Previous FBI Leadership
In a statement provided to Reuters, Director Patel issued a sharp condemnation of the agency's prior actions under his predecessors. He framed the subpoenas as evidence of governmental overreach, a claim he attributes to the Biden administration's influence.
"It is outrageous and deeply alarming that the previous FBI leadership secretly subpoenaed my own phone records – along with those of now White House chief of staff Susie Wiles – using flimsy pretexts and burying the entire process in prohibited case files designed to evade all oversight," Patel stated.
This investigation was part of a broader scrutiny of Trump, which also included accusations of interference in the 2020 presidential election. Special Counsel Smith had previously expressed confidence that his findings would have led to criminal charges against Trump, had the cases not been dropped following Trump's 2024 election victory and return to the White House.
Legal Proceedings and Historical Context
Smith's team secured indictments in 2023, accusing Trump of illegally retaining classified documents after his first term and conspiring to overturn the 2020 election results. Both cases were subsequently dismissed after Trump's presidential win, citing a longstanding Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting president.
Adding to the legal complexity, a federal judge recently blocked further publication of Smith's detailed investigative report. Patel's role in the documents case has long been under scrutiny; as a top adviser to Trump, he testified before a federal grand jury in Washington in 2022 regarding the unauthorized retention of government documents, receiving limited immunity for his cooperation.
A Pattern of Personnel Changes Under Patel
These latest firings are not isolated incidents within the FBI under Patel's leadership. Last September, three former senior officials, each with decades of service, filed a lawsuit against Patel and the federal government, alleging wrongful termination for their involvement in investigating Trump.
Furthermore, in November, the bureau dismissed an official with 27 years of service after Patel became angered by press reports suggesting misuse of a government aircraft for personal purposes. These actions collectively highlight a period of significant internal turbulence and personnel reorganization at the highest levels of the FBI, reflecting ongoing political and legal tensions surrounding the Trump administration and its aftermath.
