The Trump administration is reportedly set to dismiss dozens of FBI agents who were involved in investigations related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack and other cases concerning former President Donald Trump.
According to sources, officials are reviewing whether agents tied to former special counsel Jack Smith’s investigations into Trump should be included in the firings.
Additionally, they are assessing personnel who may resist the administration’s new directives.
Firings could begin as early as Friday, with a finalized list expected by Monday. Among those potentially affected are senior officials and agents across multiple field offices, particularly in the FBI’s Washington, D.C., office.
In response to the reports, an FBI spokesperson told ABC News, “The FBI is declining to comment on any questions regarding FBI personnel matters. We have also instructed public affairs officers in our field offices to decline to comment as well.”
During his Senate confirmation hearing, Trump’s nominee for FBI director, Kash Patel, assured lawmakers that no agent would be dismissed as political retribution.
“Every FBI employee will be held to the absolute same standard, and no one will be terminated for cases,” Patel stated.
However, the FBI Agents Association criticized the reported plans, saying they contradict Patel’s earlier assurances.
The association warned that mass dismissals could compromise national security and undermine the Bureau’s effectiveness.
Meanwhile, President Trump, when asked about potential firings within the Justice Department, suggested such actions could be beneficial.
“If they fired some people over there, that’s a good thing because they were very bad,” Trump said.
He accused officials of using the department to target political opponents, calling it an unprecedented abuse of power.