Several top FBI leaders have been told to either retire, quit, or take a lower position by Monday, according to sources from CNN. This affects high-ranking officers who manage important areas like cybercrime, national security, and regular crime investigations. About six of these leaders, known as “executive assistant directors,” were promoted by former FBI Director Christopher Wray and have to step down by Thursday.
This change is part of a bigger shake-up that started last week at the Justice Department, which is near the FBI’s main office. The FBI is currently facing issues, especially from agents involved in investigations about the January 6 Capitol riot and the way Donald Trump handled classified documents. Many of these agents are worried they could face harsh actions against them, similar to what some Justice Department lawyers experienced.
Trump has been very critical of the FBI, especially towards the agents working on cases related to the Capitol riot and his own legal troubles. One current FBI official called the recent changes “hugely disruptive.” A former official mentioned that there is a lot of anger within the bureau because the affected workers are not politically motivated or connected.
The FBI has not commented on these changes. Christopher Wray, who was chosen by Trump in 2017, resigned when President Biden took office.
Kash Patel, who is Trump’s choice to lead the FBI, is part of these discussions. During his confirmation hearings, Patel said he did not know about any plans to target agents involved in Trump-related cases. He stressed that every FBI employee will be treated the same way and assured that no one will be fired for their assignments. “Every FBI employee will be held to the absolute same standard, and no one will be terminated for case assignments,” Patel stated when asked about the situation.
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