Overview

• Three people familiar with the matter told the Associated Press the bureau dismissed agents who were pictured kneeling in Washington during the 2020 racial‑justice demonstrations after initially reassigning them earlier this year.
• The exact number is unclear, with two sources estimating about 20 dismissals while the FBI Agents Association says more than a dozen, including some military veterans with added legal protections.
• An FBI spokesperson declined to comment on the personnel actions reported Friday.
• The moves are part of a broader personnel purge under Director Kash Patel, who last month summarily removed at least five senior officials, including Steve Jensen, Brian Driscoll, Chris Meyer and Walter Giardina.
• A lawsuit by recently fired supervisors alleges Patel acknowledged some firings were probably illegal and cited White House and DOJ pressure, while Patel told Congress he received no such orders and that those dismissed failed to meet FBI standards.