Kash Patel’s leadership of the FBI has coincided with an unusual and growing wave of personnel removals that appear politically motivated. Senior field leaders in Atlanta, New York and New Orleans have been ousted, and up to six Miami agents were removed over their role in the Mar-a-Lago search. Lawsuits from fired agents and executives allege unlawful firings under White House pressure, while the FBI Agents Association warns that these actions have created “chaos” and could undermine public safety.
Kash Patel’s FBI Personnel Purge Escalates, Deepening Concerns About Political Interference
Kash Patel’s tenure as director of the FBI has drawn sharp criticism as an unprecedented wave of personnel removals appears to be driven by political considerations, destabilizing the bureau and raising questions about its independence.
Reporting by MS NOW journalists Ken Dilanian and Carol Leonnig indicates Patel has ordered another round of senior-level removals. While exact figures remain unclear, several field leaders and senior agents tied to investigations involving former President Donald Trump have been ousted or reassigned.
According to people familiar with the matter, the special agent in charge in Atlanta was removed and the acting assistant director overseeing the New York field office was relieved of duty. A former special agent in charge in New Orleans who had recently moved to another role was also ousted. In Miami, as many as six agents were forced out over their connection to the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago.
“That kind of turnover is unheard of at the FBI,” the report says.
Other recent cases have underscored a broader pattern. Last month, 12 agents filed a lawsuit after being fired over kneeling during 2020 racial justice protests — a gesture they say was intended to de-escalate tensions. Around the same time, a veteran employee sued after being dismissed for displaying an LGBTQ+ flag in his workspace that had previously flown outside a field office.
Ontario, CA - January 23: FBI Director Kash Patel speaks during a press conference on the tarmac at Ontario International Airport on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. Patel announced the arrest of former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding in Mexico who was one of the FBI's top 10 fugitives and faces charges for multinational drug trafficking and the killing of a federal witness. Wedding was flown to Ontario from Mexico Friday morning on a Federal jet and transferred to LAPD custody. (Photo by Will Lester/MediaNews Group/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin via Getty Images)(Will Lester / MediaNews Group / Inland Valley Daily Bulletin via Getty Images)
In August, Patel and his team removed three experienced bureau leaders, including Brian Driscoll, a respected figure among rank-and-file agents who was pushed out after helping to block mass firings of staff who worked on Jan. 6 cases. The ousted executives later filed a federal lawsuit alleging Patel “knowingly broke the law when he fired senior FBI executives at the behest of the White House and under pressure from Trump allies.”
Observers and internal groups have reacted strongly. In November the FBI Agents Association said Patel had sown “chaos” within the bureau, accusing him of disregarding the law and engaging in “erratic and arbitrary retribution.” The association warned that these actions could undermine the bureau’s effectiveness and public safety.
What This Means
The pattern of removals — targeting personnel tied to the Mar-a-Lago search, the ‘Arctic Frost’ probe into efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and Jan. 6 cases — has alarmed current and former officials. Critics say the broad, politically linked personnel actions risk politicizing the FBI, damaging morale, and impairing ongoing investigations.
Update: This post updates related earlier coverage of Patel’s personnel actions and ongoing litigation.
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