FBI Director Kash Patel Removes Personnel Linked to Trump Classified Documents Investigation

FBI Director Kash Patel has ordered the removal of at least 10 FBI employees connected to the investigation into President Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate, according to multiple people familiar with the matter.

The personnel changes are part of a broader internal review examining how the investigation was conducted. That probe previously led to criminal charges against Trump and two of his employees before those cases were later dropped after his reelection, in line with Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting president.

Patel initiated the wider review after discovering records showing that the FBI obtained his communication records and those of now–White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles during a 2022–2023 investigation. The inquiry was later overseen by special counsel Jack Smith.

In a public statement, Patel sharply criticized the earlier subpoenas, calling them alarming and accusing prior FBI leadership of concealing the process within restricted case files. He said he has since briefed Wiles on the matter.

Federal investigators routinely use subpoenas to obtain call logs as part of criminal investigations. Those records typically show when calls were made or received but do not reveal the content of conversations. Patel himself previously testified before a grand jury connected to the broader investigations.

The latest removals follow other recent personnel changes involving agents who worked on January 6–related investigations and the Mar-a-Lago documents case. The developments come amid ongoing political debate in Washington over the scope and methods of federal investigations tied to those probes.

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