Trump ultimatum lowers boom on senior FBI ranks: report

Senior FBI officials, some promoted under former director Christopher Wray, have reportedly been told by the Trump administration to resign or be fired.

With Brian Driscoll continuing as the bureau’s acting director pending the outcome of Kash Patel’s nomination to lead the agency, a new report indicated the shakeup affected “at least six” senior agents both at FBI headquarters and in the field.

“The senior officials are at the executive assistant director level or special agent in charge level and include those who oversee cyber, national security and criminal investigations,” sources told CNN which noted that some were informed as Patel sat before lawmakers for his confirmation hearing Thursday.

One of the officials reportedly told his colleagues in an email that he discovered he would be booted “from the rolls of the F.B.I.” as soon as Monday morning.

“I was given no rationale for this decision, which, as you might imagine, has come as a shock,” he wrote, according to Fox News.

During his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, Patel indicated he did not know of any plans to “punish” FBI personnel.

“Are you aware of any plans or discussions to punish in any way, including termination, FBI agents or personnel associated with Trump investigations?” Democratic Sen. Cory Booker asked President Donald Trump’s nominee.

“I am not aware of that, senator,” Patel responded.

He had also indicated that he did not wish to take any steps of retribution if he takes the helm at the federal agency.

“I have no interest, no desire and will not, if confirmed, go backwards. There will be no politicization at the FBI. There will be no retributive actions taken,” Patel said.

“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,” CNN reported, referring to the Trump administration’s house cleaning at the DOJ.

“Some agents say the criticism belies the fact that FBI agents and supervisors can’t choose which assignments they are given as part of their job,” the outlet added, noting that officials with the FBI Agents Association met with Patel recently to discuss their concerns and ask for his reassurance that the agents would be protected.

“Patel listened but offered no reassurances, the people briefed on the meeting said,” CNN reported.

Trump’s nominee promised lawmakers Thursday “a deweaponized, depoliticized system of law enforcement completely devoted to rigorous obedience to the Constitution and a singular standard of justice.”

“Every FBI employee will be held to the absolute same standard, and no one will be terminated for case assignments,” he said.

Frieda Powers

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