Senior officials at the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are being pressured to resign or face termination, according to a report by The Washington Post, which cited three separate sources familiar with the matter.
The report claimed that several high-ranking officials, including executive assistants, directors of criminal and national security investigations, and senior agents from field offices across the US, were instructed to submit their resignations by Feb. 3.
The ultimatums allegedly came as US President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the bureau, Kash Patel, vowed during his confirmation hearing on Thursday not to target perceived political enemies if confirmed as FBI director.
Many of these officials, appointed under former FBI Director Christopher Wray, have not yet reached retirement age. If forcibly removed, they risk losing benefits such as pensions, social security, and severance pay.
Trump and Patel have long criticized the Justice Department and FBI, accusing them of being "weaponized" against conservatives and prioritizing politics over justice.
