The Federal Bureau of Investigation has terminated roughly 10 employees involved in the investigation of Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents, CBS confirmed Wednesday.
The dismissals come amid renewed scrutiny of the federal probe that examined Trump’s retention of sensitive materials at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida after leaving office in 2021.
FBI Director Kash Patel told Reuters that federal agents had subpoenaed his phone records during the investigation while he was a private citizen.
He added that Susie Wiles, now White House chief of staff, faced similar subpoenas.
Patel did not allege any wrongdoing by the employees who were dismissed, all of whom had been engaged in the classified documents investigation.
The FBI has yet to publicly comment on the firings.
The probe was led by Special Counsel Jack Smith, who oversaw two federal investigations concerning Trump: one into attempts to overturn the 2020 election results, and another into classified documents transported to his Florida estate.
Trump and two associates were indicted in 2023 over the documents case.
However, a federal judge in Florida dismissed the charges against Trump in 2024, ruling Smith had been unlawfully appointed.
Charges against the remaining defendants were dropped in Georgia earlier this year at the Justice Department’s request.
The FBI Agents Association criticised the dismissals, warning that removing experienced staff could undermine institutional stability and trust in leadership.
“These actions weaken the Bureau by stripping away critical expertise, destabilizing the workforce, and jeopardizing the Bureau’s ability to recruit, ultimately putting the nation at greater risk,” the association said.
Since Trump’s return to the White House in January, both the Justice Department and FBI have enacted personnel changes affecting those involved in previous investigations into him, including legal action targeting former FBI Director James Comey and Letitia James.
