The Justice Department, led by Trump-appointed officials, has started an investigation that could lead to thousands of FBI employees losing their jobs. The employees under review worked on cases related to the January 6th, 2021, Capitol riot and a separate case involving Hamas.
An internal email from acting FBI Director Brian Driscoll, obtained by ABC News, explained that all offices must provide details of employees involved in these cases by Tuesday. Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove is overseeing the review to decide whether any staff should be fired or face other actions.
“This request includes thousands of employees nationwide,” Driscoll wrote. He acknowledged that he and the acting Deputy Director are also under review. The email also revealed that eight senior executives had already been targeted for dismissal.
Sources said the Trump administration has been compiling a list of FBI personnel to be fired, with dismissals possibly starting soon. The list reportedly includes many field office leaders and hundreds of agents, particularly in Washington, D.C., which handled key investigations of the Capitol riot.
The FBI declined to comment on the issue, stating that all questions about personnel matters were off-limits.
Meanwhile, Trump’s pick for FBI Director, Kash Patel, faced tough questions in his Senate hearing. Senators were concerned about whether FBI staff would face political retaliation. Patel promised that all employees would be treated fairly.
“No one will be terminated for the cases they worked on,” Patel said. “All employees will be protected from political retribution.”
However, the FBI Agents Association said the firings went against promises Patel made earlier. In a statement, the association said, “These actions contradict what Patel told us. Firing agents like this will harm national security.” They warned that removing many experienced agents could leave the country more vulnerable to threats like terrorism and organized crime.
The shake-up isn’t limited to the FBI. Acting U.S. Attorney Ed Martin has dismissed about 40 prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C. These attorneys had worked on Jan. 6 cases and had been moved into permanent roles after temporary assignments. Despite this, their probationary status allowed them to be fired under DOJ rules.
Sources confirmed that Martin decided to fire the prosecutors, sparking criticism from legal experts. Some argue that the move could damage the Justice Department’s reputation and disrupt ongoing investigations.
President Trump commented on the matter during a press conference. He defended the firings, saying some DOJ and FBI staff had acted improperly.
“If they fired people, that’s a good thing because they were very bad,” Trump said. “They used the Justice Department to go after political opponents, which is illegal.”
When asked if he had ordered the firings, Trump denied it but added, “We have some very bad people over there. It was weaponized like never before.”
Trump’s remarks drew sharp criticism from lawmakers. Senator Mark Warner, vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, called the situation “deeply alarming.” He warned that firing experienced agents would weaken the FBI’s ability to protect the nation from threats like terrorism, drug trafficking, and espionage.
Senator Dick Durbin, a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, also condemned the firings. He accused Trump of trying to replace experienced law enforcement officers with loyalists.
“President Trump wants a DOJ and FBI filled with people who are blindly loyal to him instead of experienced professionals,” Durbin said. “This is a serious blow to our justice system.”
As the review continues, FBI employees are anxiously waiting to see what happens next. Experts say that losing so many agents could leave major gaps in the FBI’s ability to investigate crimes and protect national security.
The situation is expected to remain a major topic of discussion in political and law enforcement circles over the coming weeks. Many are concerned that these actions will harm both the DOJ and the FBI in the long term.
