FBI Director Kash Patel fired at least 10 agents who secretly subpoenaed his phone records during the Mar-a-Lago probe, igniting a firestorm over bureau accountability.
Firings Stem from Secret Subpoenas in Mar-a-Lago Probe
Kash Patel, newly appointed FBI Director, ordered the termination of at least 10 employees on Wednesday. These agents connected to the 2022-2023 investigation of Donald Trump’s classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. Patel discovered the FBI had secretly subpoenaed his phone records and those of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. He labeled the actions as using flimsy pretexts buried in prohibited case files to evade oversight. This move fits a pattern of removing personnel from Trump-related probes since his reelection.
Mar-a-Lago Investigation Background and Charges
The FBI launched the Mar-a-Lago probe in 2022-2023 over Trump’s alleged illegal storage of classified materials. Grand juries charged Trump and two associates during the investigation. Courts dismissed charges against Trump after his reelection victory. Subpoenas targeted Patel and Wiles amid this scrutiny, hidden to avoid detection. Patel’s appointment as Director exposed these tactics, prompting immediate action against involved staff. Prior purges targeted January 6 and other Trump-era cases.
Patel holds ultimate authority as Director, exercising firing power over subordinates. Power dynamics now favor Trump-aligned leadership against investigators from the prior administration transition. Trump influences through appointments, benefiting indirectly from the clean slate at the FBI.
🚨 FBI SHAKE-UP — AGENTS FIRED OVER PHONE RECORDS SEIZURE
A major development has just emerged from inside the FBI.
Director Kash Patel has reportedly fired at least 10 bureau employees connected to the seizure of phone records belonging to Patel himself and Susie Wiles — now… pic.twitter.com/RpnA9AWr6H
— Jim Ferguson (@JimFergusonUK) February 26, 2026
Patel’s Direct Response and Ongoing Purge
Patel stated the previous leadership secretly subpoenaed his records along with Wiles’, using flimsy pretexts and prohibited files to evade oversight. CNN first reported the firings’ scale as at least 10 employees. The Daily Beast sought FBI comment but received no response. This purge continues broader restructuring post-Trump’s reelection. Uncertainties persist on the exact number fired and full agent list.
Short-term effects include damaged FBI morale and potential lawsuits from terminated agents. Families face job loss hardships while rank-and-file employees fear further cuts. Trump allies like Patel and Wiles achieve vindication against perceived abuses. Long-term, expect a chilling effect on future probes targeting Trump figures.
What a Disgrace: 10 FBI Agents Get the Axe After Revelation That Bureau Spied on Patel, Wiles https://t.co/pliqL0zKxy
— Marita Calaway (@marita_calaway) February 26, 2026
Implications for FBI Culture and Politics
Fired agents handled subpoenas and case files in the Mar-a-Lago effort, now under fire for secretive methods. Patel pursues accountability rooted in loyalty to Trump and oversight reform. Common sense aligns with his view: subpoenaing allies without transparency smells of weaponization, not impartial justice. Left-leaning outlets frame it as revenge, but facts show legal overreach by prior leadership. This strengthens “deep state” reform narratives.
Economic costs hit with severance and unemployment for agents. Socially, trust in FBI impartiality erodes further. Politically, it polarizes views on law enforcement, signaling aggressive federal overhaul. Broader effects reshape DOJ and FBI hiring toward loyalty and protocol adherence. FBI now investigates its own investigators, a necessary reckoning for American conservative values of accountability.
Sources:
Keystone Kash Orders Firing of FBI Staff Who Investigated Trump