Donald Trump is cleaning house at the FBI, with at least six senior officials ordered to resign, retire, or face termination by Monday. This move is part of a broader restructuring of Justice Department, which began last week under new leadership and signals a shift in the agency’s direction.
This shake-up is widely seen as an effort by Trump transition officials to replace individuals who rose through the ranks under former FBI Director Christopher Wray, according to a report by CNN.
Trump transition officials in recent months have signaled plans to push aside leaders promoted by former FBI Director Christopher Wray.
The leadership changes have drawn internal consternation, in part because these officials didn’t have anything to do with prosecutions of Donald Trump, which have been the focus of the president’s ire.
The personnel moves come as hundreds of FBI agents who were assigned to investigate the January 6 US Capitol attack and Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents are bracing for the possibility that they could be forced out or punished, similar to what has happened to dozens of career Justice Department lawyers.
The changes highlight how the new administration has moved quickly to deliver on Trump’s vow to strike back at so-called weaponization at the FBI. Trump has falsely accused agents of abuse in their court-ordered search of his Mar-a-Lago home and of their treatment of Capitol rioters.
Kash Patel has dismissed concerns that he would engage in retribution, insisting his leadership will ensure fairness within the agency. He stated that every FBI employee would be held to the same standards and that no one would be removed solely because of their case assignments.
Adding to the speculation, Tom Ferguson, a former agent and aide to Rep. Jim Jordan, has taken on a policy advisory role at FBI headquarters. Jordan has been one of the FBI’s most vocal critics and has led efforts to investigate alleged governmental overreach. His growing influence has fueled speculation that further reform on the horizon.
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