FBI Employees Sue Over Firings

PHOTO CAPTION: Boxes of documents stored in a bathroom at Mar-a-Lago, shown in evidence released by the Justice Department during its investigation into Donald Trump's handling of classified records. Nine former FBI employees involved in the investigation are now suing over their dismissals. (Photo: U.S. Department of Justice)

Nine former FBI employees who worked on the investigation into President Donald Trump's handling of classified documents have filed a federal lawsuit alleging they were fired as political retaliation for carrying out their assigned duties.
The lawsuit, filed Thursday, October 15, in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., seeks reinstatement, back pay and a judicial declaration that the dismissals were unlawful.
The nine plaintiffs include former FBI special agents, intelligence analysts and operations specialists who were terminated February 25 and 26, 2026.
They allege FBI Director Kash Patel removed them because of their involvement in the investigation that led to criminal charges against Trump over classified documents kept at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
Fired Without Hearings, Employees Allege
According to the 70-page complaint, the employees were assigned to the classified-documents investigation, internally known as Plasmic Echo, because of their experience in counterintelligence and national security.
They maintain that they did not volunteer for the investigation and had no role in deciding whether Trump should face criminal charges.
The lawsuit alleges they were dismissed without disciplinary investigations, advance notice, hearings or opportunities to appeal.
The plaintiffs contend the administration treated their participation in the investigation as evidence of personal political disloyalty.
They argue the dismissals violated their constitutional rights, including First Amendment protections and Fifth Amendment due process.
More Than 100 Years of Combined FBI Experience
The former employees collectively had more than a century of FBI experience.
Their backgrounds included investigations involving espionage, international terrorism, hostage recoveries and the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.
One plaintiff, Jennifer Bacon, previously served nine years in the U.S. Air Force before joining the FBI in 2010. She later became a senior counterintelligence official and helped coordinate the bureau's response to the 2024 Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore.
Another plaintiff, Harrison Kaufman, participated in the investigation into pipe bombs placed near Republican and Democratic Party headquarters before the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
According to the complaint, Patel publicly thanked Kaufman for his investigative work before subsequently dismissing him.
The plaintiffs argue their removal disrupted sensitive national security investigations and deprived the government of experienced personnel.
Lawsuit Details Events Before Firings
The complaint also describes activity shortly before the employees were terminated.
According to the plaintiffs, an FBI official working with Patel's advisory team requested access to the classified-documents investigation files on February 23.
The records reportedly identified the employees who had participated in the investigation.
Less than 48 hours later, eight of the nine plaintiffs were dismissed. The final employee was terminated the next day.
The lawsuit presents that sequence as part of its argument that the dismissals were politically motivated.
FBI Director Has Defended Personnel Dismissals
Patel has previously said that FBI employees who improperly used the bureau's investigative powers should face consequences and that terminations followed investigations into misconduct.
The plaintiffs dispute that characterization, asserting no such disciplinary investigations occurred in their cases.
The original classified-documents investigation resulted in a federal indictment against Trump in 2023.
Trump denied wrongdoing. The case was dismissed in July 2024 after U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that special counsel Jack Smith had been improperly appointed. The ruling did not resolve the underlying criminal allegations.
The Justice Department subsequently abandoned its appeal following Trump's reelection.
What Happens Next?
The new lawsuit names Patel, Attorney General Todd Blanche, the FBI and the Department of Justice as defendants.
The plaintiffs are asking the court to restore their positions, award lost wages and rule that their dismissals violated the law.
The allegations of political retaliation have not been established by a court, and no reinstatement order has been issued.
The case adds to a growing number of legal challenges involving FBI employees dismissed after participating in investigations connected to Trump.