FBI Chief Reportedly Ousts Agents Tied to Trump Probe

FBI Director Kash Patel has removed at least 10 bureau employees who worked on the criminal investigation into President Trump's handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, CNN reports, citing four people briefed on the move. The firings come amid a broader internal review of how the probe was conducted; that investigation was launched after Patel says he discovered the FBI had secretly subpoenaed his phone records and those of current White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles during the 2022-23 inquiry that later fell under special counsel Jack Smith; they were both private citizens at the time. CBS News notes that the claim regarding Patel's records has not been independently verified.

Patel publicly revealed the subpoenas Wednesday, calling them "outrageous and deeply alarming" and accusing prior FBI leadership of using weak justifications and restricted files to avoid oversight. He has also been pushing out personnel tied to investigations of both the Mar-a-Lago documents and the January 6 Capitol attack; the AP reports dozens have been ousted. The Justice Department had examined Trump over both classified records and efforts to overturn the 2020 result; Patel himself testified before a grand jury in 2022. After Trump's reelection, Smith dropped both cases, citing long-standing DOJ guidance against prosecuting a sitting president. Smith's office declined comment.