FBI Dismisses Twelve Employees Following Revelation of Biden-Era Subpoenas Against Patel and Wiles

In a significant development that has sent shockwaves through the federal law enforcement community, at least a dozen FBI employees have been terminated following revelations that the bureau allegedly subpoenaed phone records of two high-ranking Trump administration officials during their time as private citizens.

According to sources familiar with the matter, more than ten FBI employees were fired on Wednesday, with at least two additional terminations occurring on Friday. The dismissals come after reports emerged that the FBI, under the Biden administration, had obtained phone records belonging to Kash Patel and Susie Wiles in 2022 and 2023 as part of a federal investigation into former President Donald Trump.

Patel, who now serves as the director of the FBI under the Trump administration, and Wiles, the current White House chief of staff, were private citizens when their records were allegedly accessed. The names of the terminated bureau employees have not been disclosed due to privacy considerations.

The FBI Agents Association (FBIAA) has strongly criticized the dismissals, calling them “unlawful” in a statement released earlier this week. “The FBIAA condemns today’s unlawful termination of FBI special agents, which — like other firings by Director Patel — violates the due process rights of those who risk their lives to protect our country,” the organization stated.

The association further warned that these actions could have far-reaching consequences for the agency, including the loss of critical expertise, destabilization of the workforce, erosion of trust in leadership, and potential challenges in meeting recruitment goals.

The subpoenas in question were reportedly issued during former special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and his handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. Smith ultimately charged Trump with multiple felony offenses in 2023, but the cases were later dismissed after Trump’s re-election, citing Department of Justice policy against prosecuting a sitting president.

In a particularly troubling development, two FBI officials reported that in 2023, agents allegedly recorded a phone call between Wiles and her attorney without Wiles’ knowledge. While the officials claimed the attorney was aware and consented to the recording, the attorney has vehemently denied these assertions, stating to Axios: “If I ever pulled a stunt like that I wouldn’t — and shouldn’t — have a license to practice law. I’m as shocked as Susie.”

Patel has called the seizure of phone records “outrageous and deeply alarming” in a statement. “It is outrageous and deeply alarming that the previous FBI leadership secretly subpoenaed my own phone records — along with those of now White House chief of staff Susie Wiles — using flimsy pretexts and burying the entire process in prohibited case files designed to evade all oversight,” he said.

The information regarding the subpoenas was reportedly discovered in what the FBI referred to as a “prohibited case file,” a classification system that Patel claims he has recently abolished.

This controversy adds to growing concerns about potential politicization of federal law enforcement agencies. During congressional testimony in 2025, Smith defended the collection of such records, stating they helped investigators verify the timeline of events surrounding the January 6 Capitol riot. He maintained that prosecutors “followed all legal requirements in getting those records” and emphasized that the information obtained did not include the content of conversations.

The firings represent one of the most significant personnel actions at the FBI in recent memory and highlight the ongoing tensions between the current administration and career officials who served during previous administrations. The situation raises important questions about oversight mechanisms, appropriate investigative boundaries, and the protection of civil liberties during sensitive political investigations.

As the situation continues to unfold, congressional leaders have indicated they may pursue additional oversight hearings to examine the circumstances surrounding both the original subpoenas and the recent terminations.