Approximately 10 FBI employees, including veteran agents, were dismissed this week due to their involvement in the investigation of President Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, according to five sources.
The dismissals follow FBI Director Kash Patel’s announcement that the bureau subpoenaed phone metadata relating to himself and Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff. Phone record requests are standard in complex criminal probes to verify communication and timelines.
It is unclear if the FBI leaders accused any employees of misconduct. In past instances, procedural safeguards protecting agents from politically-driven dismissals were reportedly violated, as stated by agents and their defense attorneys.
The FBI Agents Association criticized the dismissals, labeling them unlawful terminations that infringe upon the due process rights of agents.
Patel’s statement on the subpoenas arrived amid scrutiny of his actions, including recent travel controversies.
Some of the dismissed agents were reportedly involved in the document inquiry, with allegations suggesting efforts to obscure court-required disclosures.
Patel denied wrongdoing, alleging biased targeting of Trump-associated figures, including himself and Wiles, accusing the FBI of obscure administrative processes.
The subpoena concerning Wiles was primarily restricted to her interactions with Trump-affiliated legal representatives and witnesses. Prosecutors sought to determine if legal services funded by Trump-related entities persuaded witnesses against cooperation.
