Lead
The FBI has dismissed about 10 employees who took part in the probe of former President Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents after he left office in 2021. The terminations were announced on Wednesday and were reported to be confirmed by the BBC’s U.S. partner, CBS. The moves came shortly after FBI director Kash Patel told Reuters that federal agents had subpoenaed his phone records from the period when he was a private citizen; Patel also said former Trump adviser Susie Wiles had her phone records subpoenaed while a private citizen. The director did not present evidence that the dismissed agents had committed wrongdoing.
Key takeaways
- Roughly 10 FBI employees were fired on Wednesday; each had worked on the classified-documents investigation linked to Mar-a-Lago, according to reporting confirmed by CBS and BBC.
- FBI director Kash Patel told Reuters that federal agents subpoenaed his phone records when he was a private citizen; he also named Susie Wiles as having records subpoenaed.
- The terminated staff all participated in the probe into classified materials recovered from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence and efforts to obstruct DOJ retrieval, a case led by Special Counsel Jack Smith.
- Trump and two associates were indicted in 2023 in the classified-documents matter; in 2024 a judge in Florida tossed the case against Trump on appointment grounds, and an appeals court in Georgia later dismissed the remaining defendants at the DOJ’s request.
- The FBI Agents Association condemned the firings as weakening the Bureau, warning of lost expertise and damage to recruitment and trust in leadership.
- The FBI has been approached for comment by the BBC; public details about the specific reasons for each termination remain limited.
Background
After President Trump left the White House in January 2021, Special Counsel Jack Smith was appointed to oversee two federal inquiries tied to the former president: one into efforts to overturn the 2020 election and another into classified documents found at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. The classified-documents strand examined whether classified material was improperly retained and whether any subsequent actions obstructed the Justice Department’s retrieval efforts.
In 2023 prosecutors brought indictments related to the classified-documents investigation against Trump and two associates. In 2024, a federal judge in Florida dismissed the case against Trump, finding issues related to Smith’s appointment. Prosecutors later took steps that led a federal appeals court in Georgia to drop the case against the final two defendants at the Justice Department’s request.
Main event
On Wednesday, authorities terminated roughly 10 FBI employees who had worked on the Mar-a-Lago/classified-documents investigation. CBS reported the firings and the BBC says it has confirmed that reporting with its U.S. partner; the FBI had not issued a public, detailed explanation for each dismissal at the time of reporting. The personnel moves were announced publicly amid heightened scrutiny of the Department of Justice and the FBI since Trump returned to the White House.
The timing drew attention because FBI director Kash Patel told Reuters that federal agents subpoenaed his phone records from his private-citizen period in connection with the investigation; he also said Susie Wiles, now White House chief of staff, had her phone records subpoenaed while she was a private citizen. Patel’s account prompted questions about the scope and targets of investigative subpoenas used during the probe.
Advocacy groups representing current and former FBI personnel pushed back against the dismissals. The FBI Agents Association released a statement condemning the actions and warning about the loss of institutional knowledge. The association said the moves would damage morale and impair the Bureau’s ability to recruit and retain critical expertise.
Analysis & implications
The removal of a group of employees who worked on a politically sensitive investigation raises immediate concerns about institutional continuity inside the FBI. The agency relies on case teams with accumulated knowledge; losing multiple team members at once can hinder case management, training pipelines and operational memory. If experienced investigators depart, the FBI may face short-term gaps in capabilities related to records handling and classified-material protocols.
Politically, the firings are likely to intensify debate on the independence of federal law enforcement when personnel decisions overlap with high-profile investigations involving senior political figures. Supporters of the dismissals may argue they are routine personnel actions or necessary accountability; critics see them as politically motivated removals that could chill workplace candor and investigative rigor.
Legally, the history of the classified-documents case complicates the picture. The 2023 indictments, the 2024 judge’s ruling on unlawful appointment, and subsequent appellate developments mean that courtroom outcomes have been shaped by procedural and appointment issues as much as by evidentiary questions. The personnel changes inside the FBI do not alter those past rulings but could affect how similar inquiries are staffed and supervised going forward.
Comparison & data
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2021 | Trump leaves White House; classified documents found later at Mar-a-Lago |
| 2023 | Trump and two associates indicted in classified-documents case |
| 2024 | Florida judge dismisses case against Trump on appointment grounds; appeals court later drops remaining defendants at DOJ request |
| 2024/2025 | Since Trump’s return to White House, DOJ and FBI have taken personnel actions affecting employees who worked on prior investigations |
The timeline above places the recent dismissals in context: the classified-documents investigation produced indictments in 2023, then saw significant procedural reversals in 2024. The current wave of terminations follows those legal developments and the change in presidential administration.
Reactions & quotes
Public responses trace predictable lines: advocacy groups for FBI personnel criticized the move, while officials aligned with the White House or the director framed personnel actions as internal matters. Media partners reported confirmations and sought comment from the Bureau.
“These actions weaken the Bureau by stripping away critical expertise and destabilizing the workforce,” said the FBI Agents Association, warning the removals could undermine trust in leadership and the agency’s recruitment goals.
FBI Agents Association (advocacy group)
“Federal agents subpoenaed my phone records from when I was a private citizen,” Kash Patel told Reuters, noting that subpoenas also reached another private citizen now in the White House.
Kash Patel via Reuters (director/press report)
Unconfirmed
- Whether the terminated agents committed any specific wrongdoing remains unproven in public record; officials have not publicly released documentary evidence linking the firings to misconduct.
- It is unclear if the subpoenas described by Kash Patel were routine investigative steps or part of a targeted effort aimed at particular individuals; supporting documents were not provided with the claim.
- Names and detailed personnel records of those fired have not been released publicly, and their exact roles on the case team have not been independently verified in available reporting.
Bottom line
The dismissal of roughly 10 FBI employees who worked on the Mar-a-Lago classified-documents probe is notable both for its scale and its timing. Coming after a period of legal reversals in the underlying case and amid renewed political scrutiny of law enforcement, the firings raise questions about institutional capacity and the independence of investigative bodies.
Observers should watch for further public detail from the FBI or the Justice Department explaining the rationale for each termination, and for any legal challenges or oversight inquiries that may follow. The longer-term effect will depend on whether these are isolated personnel decisions or part of a sustained pattern that reshapes how politically sensitive investigations are staffed and supervised.
Sources
- BBC News (news report; original article provided)
- CBS News (U.S. media partner reported confirmation of terminations)
- Reuters (news report quoting Kash Patel on subpoenas)
- FBI Agents Association (advocacy group statement)