Nine former FBI employees filed a lawsuit against the bureau on a Thursday, alleging they were unlawfully terminated for their involvement in the investigation into Donald Trump’s retention of classified documents. The plaintiffs, who include former special agents, intelligence analysts, and staff operation specialists, were fired over a two-day period in February 2026. The lawsuit names the FBI, Director Kash Patel, Attorney General Todd Blanche, and the Department of Justice (DOJ) as defendants.
The legal action follows the 2023 indictment of Mr. Trump by special counsel Jack Smith, which was later dismissed after a federal judge ruled Smith’s appointment was unlawful. The DOJ subsequently abandoned its appeal following the 2024 election. The lawsuit alleges the plaintiffs were terminated without internal investigations, notice, or the opportunity for a hearing. According to the filing, Director Patel claimed to rely on Article II of the Constitution, which defines executive powers, as the basis for the dismissals.
The 70-page filing in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia claims the firings were motivated by political reasons rather than performance. The lawsuit cites a statement from Todd Blanche, who was deputy attorney general when the employees were let go, stating that the administration had "cleaned house" at the FBI by firing employees associated with investigations involving the president. It also details an incident on February 23, 2026, where an agent on Patel's advisory team, Miles Starr, requested urgent access to the classified "Plasmic Echo" case files containing the plaintiffs' names. The terminations occurred less than 48 hours later.
The scale of the situation involves nine specific careers ended abruptly in February 2026, but the lawsuit notes these plaintiffs are part of a growing number of former personnel filing similar claims against the DOJ. The case centers on whether participation in a sanctioned investigation can result in immediate loss of employment without the standard notice and appeal rights. The plaintiffs' attorneys, including Abbe Lowell and Margaret Donovan, stated the employees were fired for following the law "without bias or favor."
The case also examines whether the timing of the firings was related to external events. The lawsuit suggests the dismissals occurred as Director Patel faced public criticism regarding his behavior at the Winter Olympics in Milan and shortly before military strikes against Iran began on February 28, 2026. A special agent in charge reportedly suggested to one plaintiff, Zach Feldman, that the timing might be linked to news reports about Patel. The DOJ and FBI have not yet provided a public response to the specific allegations in the filing.