WASHINGTON — FBI Director Kash Patel is facing explosive allegations in a federal lawsuit filed by three former senior FBI officials who say they were unlawfully fired as part of a Trump White House–directed purge. The suit, filed Wednesday in Washington, D.C., accuses Patel of politicizing the bureau to protect his own job, bowing to pressure from the Trump administration and MAGA-aligned social media campaigns.
The plaintiffs — Brian Driscoll, who briefly served as acting FBI director at the start of Trump’s second term; Steven Jensen, head of the Washington Field Office; and Spencer Evans, former special agent in charge of the Las Vegas office — claim they were removed because of their prior involvement in investigations touching on Trump. They allege Patel admitted he “had to fire agents who worked on cases against the President in order to keep his job.”
According to the 68-page complaint, Patel told Driscoll last month that “the FBI tried to put the President in jail and he hasn’t forgotten it,” adding that firings of those linked to Trump investigations were inevitable. All three men say they were dismissed by one-page emails delivered through subordinates, without explanation.
The lawsuit paints a picture of an FBI leadership preoccupied with political loyalty and online attacks. It alleges Patel and his deputy, former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino, monitored social media reactions from pro-Trump influencers and made personnel decisions accordingly. In one instance, an FBI pilot and veteran was terminated after false claims circulated online that he had signed the Mar-a-Lago search warrant.
The firings, the complaint argues, are part of a broader purge across federal agencies under Trump’s second administration, including the controversial ouster of CDC Director Susan Monarez.
Attorney Mark Zaid, representing the former FBI officials, accused Patel of hypocrisy: “You talk about weaponization. You are the textbook definition of weaponization.” Zaid added that Patel either lied at his Senate confirmation hearings — when he promised no one would be fired for political reasons — or is now admitting he acted under White House orders.
The lawsuit seeks reinstatement and back pay for the three former officials. The FBI has declined to comment.