The FBI fires about 10 agents and analysts who worked on Trump’s classified-documents case, and nine sue

What happened

On February 25, 2026, the FBI began firing employees who had worked on the Mar-a-Lago classified-documents investigation. The Associated Press, citing several people familiar with the matter, reported that 10 were fired. CBS News counted about a dozen over two days. The same day, Patel told Reuters the FBI had subpoenaed his phone records, and those of White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, while both were private citizens.

Nine of the fired employees say Patel signed each termination letter. According to their complaint, the letters cited “Article II” and said each had “exercised poor judgment and a lack of impartiality in carrying out duties, leading to the political weaponization of the government.” They were fired on February 25 and 26.

On October 15, 2026, the nine sued Patel, Attorney General Todd Blanche, the FBI and the Justice Department in federal court in Washington. They seek reinstatement, back pay and a ruling that the firings were unlawful. Patel has told Congress that employees he fired “weaponized” the FBI. The FBI had not commented when Axios published.

Who benefited

Trump was the subject of the investigation the fired employees worked on. Charges against him were dismissed in 2024 by Judge Aileen Cannon, who ruled that special counsel Jack Smith was unlawfully appointed. A month after the firings, according to the complaint, Blanche said the administration had “cleaned house” at the FBI and that no agent remained who “had anything to do with the prosecution of President Trump.”

Who wanted something

Patel’s termination letters gave one reason: that each employee had contributed to the “political weaponization of the government.” The plaintiffs deny it. They allege that on February 23 an agent on Patel’s advisory team requested the case files, saying he acted on Patel’s instructions, and that the firings served the president’s “personal vendetta.” Those are allegations the government has not answered in court.

Who lost out

Nine agents, analysts and staff operations specialists lost their jobs without notice, a hearing or an appeal. The complaint says none had been investigated internally and that their personnel records show the firings were not for cause. They say they had more than a century of FBI service between them. One, Jeremy Linton, alleges he was running several dozen Iranian counterintelligence cases when he was fired three days before the U.S. and Israel struck Iran.

Why it matters

These firings followed earlier removals of FBI employees tied to investigations of Trump. On January 31, 2025, the Justice Department forced out eight senior FBI officials and demanded a list of employees who had worked on January 6 cases. The February 2026 letters relied on “Article II” rather than an internal inquiry, so no finding against the nine exists for a court to review. The suit is pending, and no ruling had been reported as of October 17.

Sources U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (primary)Associated Press via PBS NewsHourCBS NewsAssociated Press via PBS NewsHour