FBI has dismissed at least 10 employees linked to former Special Counsel Jack Smith’s probe into President Donald Trump’s retention of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, as part of Director Kash Patel’s personnel overhaul.
The terminations, confirmed by sources familiar with the matter to outlets including AP, NBC, and CBS, target agents, analysts, and supervisors involved in the 2022 search and related charges—dropped after Trump’s 2024 reelection due to DOJ policy on sitting presidents.
Patel’s actions follow his revelation that the FBI subpoenaed his and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles’ records in 2022-2023 during the Biden era, prompting an internal review.
The FBI Agents Association slammed the moves as unlawful, warning: “These 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.”
Similar purges have hit Jan. 6 investigators, aligning with Patel’s mandate to remove those tied to Trump probes or misaligned with administration goals.
