Key Highlights
- The FBI fired about a dozen employees linked to investigations into President Trump over two days.
- FBI Director Kash Patel alleged that former special counsel Jack Smith had subpoenaed his phone records, leading to the terminations.
- Agents and support staff who worked on Smith’s probe into Trump’s retention of classified documents were removed from their jobs.
- The FBI Agents Association condemned the firings, saying employees were terminated without due process.
FBI Shake-Up: The Fallout from Trump Documents Investigation
Politics About a dozen FBI staff who worked on Trump documents case fired over 2 days, sources say. You might think this is new, but…
On Thursday and Wednesday of last week (February 23-24, 2026), the Federal Bureau of Investigation began an unexpected purge of its ranks, targeting employees who had been deeply involved in investigations into former President Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents. About a dozen agents, analysts, and support staff were removed from their jobs over these two days, according to sources confirmed by CBS News.
The timing and scale of the firings have sparked speculation and concern within the law enforcement community.
FBI Director Kash Patel (served in Trump’s administration) alleged that former special counsel Jack Smith had subpoenaed his phone records as part of his ongoing investigation into Trump’s retention of classified documents, which led to these terminations.
Patel claimed that the subpoena was a “flimsy pretext” and that Smith had overstepped his authority by obtaining both his personal phone records and those for Susie Wiles, President Trump’s chief of staff. While details on the “flimsy pretexts” remain undisclosed, it is customary for law enforcement to obtain such records through grand jury subpoenas as part of criminal investigations.
FBI’s Internal Strife
These events are just one aspect of a broader internal conflict within the FBI. Since the National Archives had unsuccessfully sought the return of sensitive White House documents from Trump in 2022, the Justice Department seized files from Mar-a-Lago. The resulting classified document charges were dismissed by a federal judge in Florida mid-2024 on grounds that Smith was unlawfully appointed.
The firing of FBI prosecutors who worked with Jack Smith has been seen as retaliation, and now the FBI is facing criticism for its handling of these terminations.
The FBI Agents Association condemned the firings, stating that employees were terminated without any due process or justification. They argue that such actions undermine trust in law enforcement.
Trump’s Administration Strikes Back
The Trump administration has taken aim at federal employees who worked on both cases involving Smith and his investigation into Arctic Frost election interference allegations. This move is part of a larger effort to discredit these investigations, which have led to the first federal criminal indictments against a former U.S. president.
Since the dismissal of classified document charges and the dropping of 2020 election charges by Smith after Trump won the 2024 race, there has been growing tension between the two sides. The Justice Department’s firing of prosecutors involved in Smith’s team is a direct response to these ongoing investigations.
The firing of FBI agents who worked on Smith’s probe further illustrates the deep divisions within law enforcement and the broader political landscape. It highlights how personal and political interests can intersect with professional duties, leading to significant repercussions for those caught in the crossfire.
