The FBI is removing at least three senior officials this week, including its former acting director and a key figure in the January 6 investigations, Fox News has learned.
Sources say Brian Driscoll, former acting FBI director, is among those being pushed out, alongside Walter Giardina, a special agent who worked on the case against Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro, and Steven Jensen, the acting director of the Washington Field Office.
Driscoll previously led the bureau before the confirmation of current FBI Director Kash Patel. Jensen played a major role in the Capitol riot investigations.
According to officials, the agents were told they must leave by Friday, though no specific reason was given. One insider characterized the move as “retribution.”
Sources also indicated more departures could come by the end of the week, though it’s unclear how many people or what roles might be affected. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro declined to address the matter at a press conference Thursday.
The news follows a February directive requiring thousands of FBI personnel to complete a lengthy questionnaire detailing any role they may have played in the January 6, 2021, investigations. The form asked whether they had testified in court, and when they last participated in related activities.
That questionnaire, first reported by Fox News Digital, sparked concerns inside the bureau about potential retaliation. Weeks later, then–Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove ordered the FBI to compile a comprehensive list of all current and former staff who worked on the January 6 cases. The list contained “thousands” of names, along with employee ID numbers, titles, and roles at the time.
Nine FBI employees later filed a lawsuit in federal court, warning the list could jeopardize careers and undermine the bureau’s mission.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Agents Association (FBIAA), representing over 14,000 current and retired agents, expressed alarm over the reported firings. In a statement to Fox News, the group said it is “deeply concerned” about agents being dismissed without cause or due process, and is “actively reviewing all legal options” to protect its members.
“Agents do not choose their assignments—they follow the law and execute their duties with professionalism and integrity,” the FBIAA said.
Former Justice Department and FBI officials have warned that such removals, though within the president’s authority, could discourage agents across the bureau’s 52 field offices from engaging in politically sensitive investigations.
President Donald Trump has not confirmed whether additional personnel involved in January 6 investigations will be removed. In February, he told reporters he believed the FBI was “corrupt” and expressed confidence that Director Kash Patel would “straighten it out.”
