FBI Director Kash Patel has terminated a probationary agent trainee after he displayed a gay pride flag on his desk during a prior assignment at a California field office. Patel cited the display as an "inappropriate display of political signage" and a lapse in judgment, according to a letter dated Oct. 1, 2025, reviewed by MSNBC.
The letter, signed by Patel, stated that the trainee had "exercised poor judgment with an inappropriate display of political signage in your work area during your previous assignment." The letter further stated that the trainee was being "summarily dismissed from your position as a New Agent Trainee at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, and removed from the federal service."
The dismissal is part of a broader pattern of firings under Patel's leadership. In September, over a dozen FBI agents were dismissed for taking a knee during racial justice protests in Washington, D.C., in 2020. These agents were photographed kneeling as a de-escalation tactic during the protests following the death of George Floyd. The FBI Agents Association condemned the terminations, stating they were "unlawful" and politically motivated, Reuters reported.
Patel's actions align with President Donald Trump's repeated vows to remove what he terms "woke" ideology from federal agencies. The timing of the latest dismissal coincides with the onset of a nationwide government shutdown, which has cast uncertainty over federal employment and operations.
The agent trainee, who had previously served as an FBI support specialist in Los Angeles, received the termination letter while stationed at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. The letter did not specifically reference the gay pride flag but emphasized the display as "political signage" deemed inappropriate for the workplace.
