At least 10 FBI employees involved in the investigation of former President Trump’s handling of classified documents were dismissed recently, according to sources. This news follows a report indicating that the FBI had subpoenaed phone records of key individuals, including FBI Director Kash Patel and Trump’s former Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles, while they were private citizens.
Patel criticized the FBI’s actions, claiming they used weak justifications for the subpoenas and tried to avoid oversight. However, he has not presented evidence that the fired staff members did anything wrong.
Special Counsel Jack Smith led two significant investigations into Trump: one about the alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results and another focusing on his retention of classified documents. All the dismissed employees were linked to the classified documents case.
While CBS News confirmed that Wiles’ phone records were part of the investigation, it remains unclear whether Patel’s were reviewed. Notably, records connected to the 2020 election case were not subpoenaed.
The FBI Agents Association criticized these firings, stating they undermine trust in the FBI and weaken its operations. They argue that such actions could deter future recruitment, posing a risk to national security.
Historically, Smith’s probes marked a significant moment in U.S. history, as they led to the first federal criminal charges against a former president. However, a federal judge later dismissed the classified document charges for technical reasons, and Smith dropped the election-related charges after Trump won the 2024 election.
The Trump administration has been vocal against the federal employees involved in these cases. Following Smith’s investigation, several prosecutors and agents connected to the inquiries faced job losses.
This ongoing situation has drawn more attention, especially after it was revealed that the FBI had acquired phone records from several Republican lawmakers in connection to the investigations. However, these records only included metadata about calls, not their content.
Trump has called for accountability from officials involved in the investigations, further intensifying the controversy. Smith’s legal team maintains that their actions were lawful, in line with Department of Justice policies.
For more detailed information, check out CBS News and Reuters.
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Federal Bureau of Investigation, Kash Patel, Donald Trump, Mar-a-Lago, Jack Smith
