At least six senior FBI leaders have been ordered to retire, resign, or be fired by Monday, according to sources briefed on the matter. The senior officials, who are at the executive assistant director level or special agent in charge level, oversee cyber, national security, and criminal investigations. Some were notified while Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the agency, sat answering questions from senators for his confirmation hearing.
The leadership changes are part of a purge that began last week at the Justice Department and are seen as a move to push aside leaders promoted by former FBI Director Christopher Wray. Trump transition officials have signaled plans to make changes to the FBI leadership in recent months.
The personnel moves have drawn internal consternation, with some agents expressing concern that they could be forced out or punished, similar to what has happened to dozens of career Justice Department lawyers. The changes come as hundreds of FBI agents who were assigned to investigate the January 6 US Capitol attack and Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents are bracing for the possibility of retribution.
The FBI Agents Association has met with Patel to raise concerns about the treatment of agents and supervisors, who are often criticized for their work on high-profile cases. Patel has rejected accusations that he would exact retribution against political enemies and has vowed to make sure the FBI is “de-weaponized.”
Agents who carried out the Mar-a-Lago search in the Trump classified documents case have already faced threats after their names were made public by Trump supporters on social media. The anxiety inside the FBI is fueled by early moves inside the bureau that began even before Trump’s inauguration, including the retirement of Deputy FBI Director Paul Abbate on Inauguration Day and the appointment of two senior agents to take over as acting director and deputy director.
