Several FBI agents involved in the 2022 investigation into Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents have been dismissed, according to multiple US media reports, prompting criticism from the organisation representing bureau personnel.
The reported firings relate to the federal inquiry into documents recovered from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida after his first term in office. At the time, the FBI executed a court-approved search warrant as part of an investigation into the alleged retention of sensitive government records.
US outlets reported on Wednesday that FBI Director Kash Patel had ordered the removal of at least six agents connected to the case. The FBI declined to comment publicly on the reports.
The investigation centred on claims that classified materials, including documents linked to the Pentagon and CIA, were stored at Mar-a-Lago without proper authorisation. Prosecutors had alleged that some of the records contained sensitive national security information, including material related to defence and nuclear issues. Trump consistently denied wrongdoing.
In July 2024, US District Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the case, ruling that the appointment of former special counsel Jack Smith was unlawful. The Justice Department initially appealed the decision but later withdrew the case after Trump won the November 2024 presidential election, in line with longstanding policy against prosecuting a sitting president.
A separate federal inquiry examining allegations that Trump sought to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election was also discontinued by Smith following Trump’s return to office.
The FBI Agents Association confirmed that dismissals had taken place but did not specify how many employees were affected. In a statement, the group criticised the move, arguing that it undermined due process protections and could weaken the bureau’s operational capacity.
“These actions weaken the Bureau by stripping away critical expertise and destabilising the workforce,” the association said, warning that such steps could damage recruitment efforts and erode confidence within the agency.
According to the same reports, the dismissals coincided with remarks by Patel alleging that his own phone records had been obtained during earlier investigations into Trump under the previous administration, before he became FBI director.
Trump has repeatedly criticised federal investigations into his conduct, including inquiries into the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol carried out by some of his supporters.
The reported firings are likely to intensify debate in Washington over the independence of federal law enforcement and the handling of politically sensitive investigations as Trump begins a new term in office.
