Major Reshuffling: FBI Leadership Under Bongino and Patel Ousts Agents from Trump-Related Cases

The FBI has initiated a significant wave of personnel changes, removing multiple senior officials connected to investigations of former President Trump and the January 6 Capitol attack. Under newly appointed Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino, the bureau’s restructuring has raised concerns among observers about potential retaliation against agents who handled politically contentious investigations.

Details of Recent Removals

The New York Times reported Thursday that five high-ranking officials have been dismissed, including former Acting Director Brian Driscoll. In a message to colleagues, Driscoll stated: “Last night, I was informed that tomorrow will be my last day in the F.B.I. I understand that you may have a lot of questions regarding why, for which I currently have no answers. No cause has been articulated at this time.”

Driscoll’s removal came after he declined to provide the names of FBI agents involved in the January 6 Capitol attack investigation.

Steven Jensen, who oversaw the FBI’s Washington field office and coordinated the agency’s response to the Capitol riot, was also terminated this week. Two additional agents—Walter Giardina and Christopher Meyer—both involved in Trump-related investigations, were similarly ousted. Spencer Evans, a senior bureau agent, was dismissed as well, partly due to Trump supporters’ grievances regarding his earlier decisions on COVID-19 vaccine exemption requests.

Institutional Response and Concerns

The FBI declined to comment on these personnel changes when contacted. However, the FBI Agents Association, representing current and retired agents, expressed alarm in a Thursday statement: “Agents are not given the option to pick and choose their cases, and these Agents carried out their assignments with professionalism and integrity. Most importantly, they followed the law.”

The association emphasized that removal without due process undermines public safety: “Agents need to be focused on their work and not on potentially being illegally fired based on their assignments.”

Broader Context of Leadership Transitions

The current restructuring follows earlier changes in late January, when multiple officials promoted under former Director Christopher Wray received ultimatums: resign, retire, or face demotion and reassignment. Wray, originally appointed by Trump, had seen their relationship deteriorate by the end of Trump’s first term, leading to Wray’s December 2024 resignation.

Trump celebrated Wray’s departure on Truth Social, declaring it “a great day for America” that would end “the Weaponization of what has become known as the United States Department of Injustice.”

In early February, FBI agents who participated in Trump investigations and January 6-related cases filed suit against the Justice Department, seeking to block what they characterized as “unlawful” and “retaliatory” personnel actions.