As his first year comes to a close, FBI Director Kash Patel has launched a new round of shakeups that, according to multiple people briefed on the moves, is pushing out senior FBI leaders tied to the two federal criminal investigations that targeted President Donald Trump.
According to MS NOW, Patel reportedly forced out the acting assistant director overseeing the New York field office and special agents in charge in Atlanta and New Orleans, along with additional removals in Miami connected to the 2022 search of Trump's Florida estate. The FBI declined to comment to the Daily Beast, who also reported on the matter.
The move comes as a New York Times exposé covering Patel's first year as FBI Director was published on Friday. The piece interviews 45 former and current officials at the FBI to paint a picture of an atmosphere of internal tension, with Patel's priorities and management style drawing criticism from career agents and executives.
The moves also expand on a pattern of high-profile personnel changes at the FBI since Patel, a former political commentator and Trump ally, was sworn in. According to the CATO Institute, more than 20% of the FBI's workforce has been assigned to immigration enforcement.
Last year, Patel disbanded the CR-15 Public Corruption Unit in the Washington Field Office, dismissing multiple agents who had worked on the Arctic Frost investigation into alleged interference in the 2020 election. That series of terminations drew criticism from the FBI Agents Association, which described the actions as "a campaign of erratic and arbitrary retribution."
"We're losing the ability for agents to conduct their work without fear or favor because the F.B.I. won't protect you," said Walter Giardina, a former agent of CR-15.
Despite these tensions, Patel and his supporters have defended the changes as necessary to restore accountability and reshape the bureau's culture after what they characterize as years of bias and mismanagement. On social media platforms, Patel has framed recent dismissals as part of a broader effort to eliminate "corrupt actors" within the FBI.
Under President Trump’s leadership, this FBI found the corrupt actors behind Arctic Frost and terminated their employment last year pic.twitter.com/0Cwx6dxBJ1
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) January 13, 2026
Ben Williamson, an FBI spokesman, who responded to the New York Times' request for comment replied, "This story is a regurgitation of fake narratives, conjecture and speculation from anonymous sources who are disconnected from reality. They can whine and peddle falsehoods all they want — but it won't change the facts that the F.B.I. under this administration worked with partners at every level and delivered a historic 2025."
