Capitol riot case: FBI ousts former acting director, senior agents involved in January 6 probe; more removals expected

The FBI has ordered the removal of at least three senior officials, including a former acting director and two agents involved in high-profile investigations, in what insiders are calling a wave of politically charged ousters tied to the January 6 Capitol riot probe.

Brian Driscoll , who served as acting FBI director before the confirmation of current director Kash Patel , is among those forced out. Also removed are Steven Jensen, acting head of the Washington Field Office and a key figure in the January 6 investigations , and Walter Giardina, a special agent involved in the case against former Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro.

Senior FBI leadership told the agents they must leave by Friday, without giving them individual explanations. One source familiar with the situation described the action as “retribution," as quotedby Fox News.

Sources also indicated that more personnel exits are expected by the end of the week, though the total number and their specific roles remain unclear.

The removals come after the FBI required thousands of employees in February to fill out a sweeping questionnaire regarding their involvement in the Capitol riot cases. The survey included questions about court testimonies and investigation-related activity.

That questionnaire, first reported by Fox News, fueled internal concern that the information could be used to target employees involved in the probe.

The concerns deepened when then–acting deputy attorney general Emil Bove later directed the FBI to compile a list of all current and former personnel tied to January 6 investigations. The list included “thousands” of names, along with unique identification numbers, current positions, and job roles at the time of their involvement.

In response, nine FBI employees filed a lawsuit in US District Court, arguing that the list posed a threat to their careers and could damage the bureau’s operations. Former Justice Department officials have also warned that such actions could have a chilling effect across the FBI’s 52 field offices.

US President Donald Trump was asked in February whether he intended to remove employees involved in the January 6 probe . He did not directly answer, saying only, “I believe the bureau is corrupt,” and adding that FBI Director nominee Kash Patel would “straighten it out.