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By Kate Plummer
Senior US News Reporter
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At least 10 employees at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) who worked on the investigation into President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago classified documents case have been fired, according to reports.
Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith led an investigation into Trump allegedly mishandling classified documents that were found in his Mar-a-Lago residency in Florida, after his first term.
Trump was indicted in 2023 over the documents but Smith dropped the case when Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, citing a DOJ policy against prosecuting sitting presidents.
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This week Reuters reported that the FBI had subpoenaed records of phone calls made by FBI director Kash Patel, and Susie Wiles, the White House Chief of Staff, as part of Smith's probe during 2022 and 2023, while they were still private citizens.
According to Reuters and CBS News, citing anonymous sources, 10 employees were fired after this report.
Newsweek was unable to verify this reporting and reached out to the FBI by email to comment on this story.
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Why It Matters
Under the leadership of Kash Patel, the FBI has undergone major internal changes in the past few months, including the reassignment or forced resignation of numerous senior officials, including special agents in charge of several major field offices.
What To Know
According to Patel, his subpoenaed phone records were obtained while Smith was overseeing federal probes into Trump.
Both Patel and Wiles were interviewed by investigators as part of Smith’s inquiry into Trump’s retention of classified documents following his first term, according to Patel.
Newsweek could not independently verify this reporting.
Democrats in Congress have defended Smith against criticism from Republicans, saying he acted appropriately in seeking phone records and other evidence as part of his investigations into Trump and his associates.
Lawmakers have said subpoenas for phone records are a routine investigative tool and were necessary to thoroughly examine allegations of wrongdoing, including potential obstruction of justice.
CBS News did not name the employees it said were fired. CNN also reported on the firings, citing four anonymous sources it said were briefed on the matter. The outlet said Patel ordered the firings amid an investigation into the reported probe of his records.
What People Are Saying
The FBI Agents Association told CBS News: "These actions weaken the Bureau by stripping away critical expertise and destabilizing the workforce, undermining trust in leadership and jeopardizing the Bureau's ability to meet its recruitment goals—ultimately putting the nation at greater risk."
FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement to Reuters: "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."
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