The early days of Donald Trump’s second term have been marked by rapid-fire attempts to shrink the federal government to a size small enough to be drowned in a golden bathtub. While blanket attempts to purge federal employees have been widely reported, it’s clear that the first convicted felon prez is paying close attention to the payroll of the FBI.
Trump’s administration has placed pressure on FBI executives to resign, with a particular focus on ousting the appointees of former FBI Director Christopher Wray. The ex-bureau chief was at the helm while the FBI investigated Trump over his actions during the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol, painting a target on his back for Trump’s second term. While Wray resigned before he could be booted from the position, reports indicate Trump wasn’t satisfied with just the top man’s walking papers.
CNN shared that Trump’s administration is looking to purge other career law enforcement officials who may have had a hand in the Jan. 6 investigations. According to their report, leaders at the Department of Justice have been drawing up lists of agents and supervisors of people who might have crossed Trump.
The FBI Agents Association called the possibility “outrageous” in a statement.
“If true, these outrageous actions by acting officials are fundamentally at odds with the law enforcement objectives outlined by President Trump and his support for FBI Agents,” they wrote. “Dismissing potentially hundreds of Agents would severely weaken the Bureau’s ability to protect the country from national security and criminal threats and will ultimately risk setting up the Bureau and its new leadership for failure.”
Trump denied any plans to fire FBI agents when asked about it on Friday.
“No, but we have some very bad people there,” he said, per the Washington Post. “I wasn’t involved in that. But if they want to fire some people, it is fine with me.”
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