A handful of senior FBI employees have been told to resign within days or be fired as President Donald Trump continues his war on downsizing the federal government.
The move came as Kash Patel, Trump’s nominee to lead the federal agency, faced a contentious confirmation hearing with senators where he vowed not to look backward and punish perceived rivals.
‘I have no interest, no desire, and will not, If confirmed, go backwards,’ Patel, who has been critical of the agency, said at his Thursday hearing. ‘There will be no politicization at the FBI. There will be no retributive actions taken by any FBI.’
Senators also asked about what they called an ‘enemies list,’ which comes from Patel’s 2023 book, ‘Government Gangsters.’ The book names more than 50 current or former American officials that Patel claims are ‘members of the Executive Branch deep state.’
But Patel told senators: ‘It’s not an enemies list – that is a total mischaracterization.’
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In particular, he’s lasered in on the Justice Department – which the FBI is part of. Trump fired several career attorneys as he moves against what he calls the ‘deep state’ he alleges is working against him.
The president also has fired several inspectors general at government agencies and his executive order terminating all federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs has sidelined 395 government bureaucrats.
The FBI officials given the ultimatum had been promoted under Christopher Wray, who stepped down as FBI director this month. FBI directors serve 10 years but Wray resigned after Trump won the election and said he’d fire Wray when he takes office.
The officials include half-dozen ‘executive assistant directors,’ who are some of the bureau’s top managers overseeing criminal, national security and cyber investigations. They are career civil servants, meaning they can’t be fired without cause, NBC News reported.
At his hearing, Patel said he doesn’t know of any plans to move or fire personnel.
‘Are you aware of any plans or discussions to punish in any way, including termination, FBI agents or personnel associated with Trump investigations?’ asked Democratic Sen. Cory Booker.
‘I am not aware of that, senator,’ Patel replied.
Kash Patel, President Trump’s nominee to lead the FBI, is a break with tradition
FBI agents – particularly those who investigated January 6th or Trump’s handling of classified documents – fear retribution
Patel is a break with tradition. In the past, nominees to lead the FBI have had extensive law enforcement experience. Patel is known for his loyalty to Donald Trump and for his accusations against the agency, which he has accused of weaponizing its powers to target Trump.
But he told senators he believes that 98 percent of the FBI was made up of ‘courageous apolitical warriors for justice’ who ‘just need better leadership.’
He has said he will dramatically reshape the agency without offering details on what he exactly plans to do.
Trump and many Republicans believe the FBI has a bias against the president, citing the 2016 Trump-Russia probe, and the Hunter Biden investigation.
That has left hundreds of FBI agents who were assigned to investigate the January 6 insurrection and Trump’s handling of classified documents worried they could be next.