At Least 10 FBI Employees Fired Over Trump Mar-a-Lago Classified Documents Investigation
Multiple FBI agents and analysts who worked on the investigation into President Donald Trump’s retention of classified documents after leaving office were dismissed Wednesday, sources told CBS News. At least 10 employees were affected.
Multiple FBI employees involved in the Trump Mar-a-Lago documents investigation were fired as disputes grow over subpoenas and oversight claims.
Tom Williams—CQ–Roll Call Inc./Getty Images
The individuals were connected to the classified records inquiry led by former Special Counsel Jack Smith. That probe examined Trump’s possession of sensitive materials following his departure from the White House in 2021, as well as alleged obstruction of Justice Department efforts to recover them.
The dismissals occurred after Reuters reported that the FBI had subpoenaed phone records belonging to FBI Director Kash Patel and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles during the investigation. At the time the records were sought, both were private citizens.
Reuters cited Patel alleging that the FBI covertly obtained his phone records under weak justifications and placed the process in restricted case files to avoid oversight. The outlet stated it had not independently verified those claims.
Patel has not offered evidence indicating wrongdoing by the dismissed FBI personnel.
CBS News confirmed through a source familiar with the situation that Wiles’ phone records were reviewed as part of the classified documents case. It was unable to confirm whether Patel’s records were obtained. The same source said Patel’s phone records were not subpoenaed in the separate 2020 election investigation, known as Arctic Frost.
Smith managed two federal investigations involving Trump. One alleged he unlawfully attempted to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. The other focused on classified documents and related actions.
The FBI employees terminated Wednesday were all involved in the documents case.
The FBI Agents Association issued a statement condemning the move, arguing that it violated the due process rights of bureau employees. The association warned that removing experienced personnel undermines operational stability and weakens public trust in leadership while affecting recruitment goals.
Smith’s investigations led to historic federal criminal indictments against a former president. However, a federal judge in Florida dismissed the classified documents case in mid-2024, determining Smith had been improperly appointed. After Trump won the 2024 presidential election, Smith withdrew the charges related to the 2020 election.
Following those developments, the Trump administration has taken action against officials involved in the probes. The Justice Department dismissed prosecutors from Smith’s team, and the FBI removed agents connected to the Arctic Frost investigation.
Additional controversy emerged when the GOP-led Senate Judiciary Committee revealed that the FBI had secured phone records from several Republican lawmakers during the Arctic Frost inquiry. The information included call data from around January 6, 2021, but did not contain conversation details.
In October, Trump urged that Smith, former Attorney General Merrick Garland, former FBI Director Christopher Wray and others be prosecuted, accusing them of illegal and unethical actions.
Lawyers representing Smith have maintained that his conduct was lawful, proper and consistent with long-standing Justice Department policies.
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