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Archived story · published October 15, 2026. Coverage reflects reporting at the time. See today's brief

Politics · October 15, 2026

FBI employees involved in Trump classified documents case sue over ‘unlawful’ firings

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Nine former FBI employees have filed a lawsuit against FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Todd Blanche, alleging they were unlawfully fired for their work on the investigation into President Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents. The plaintiffs, who include agents and analysts, claim their dismissals were politically motivated acts of retribution that lacked due process. They are seeking reinstatement and back pay. Director Patel has previously testified that the employees were fired for cause, asserting they had 'weaponized' the FBI, a claim the lawsuit explicitly denies by highlighting the employees' long service records and apolitical backgrounds.

Read the original coverage

Reported across the spectrum

  • Nine former FBI employees filed a lawsuit in federal court against Kash Patel and Todd Blanche.
  • The plaintiffs were fired in February 2026 after working on the 'Plasmic Echo' investigation into Trump's classified documents.
  • The lawsuit seeks job reinstatement and back pay.
  • FBI Director Kash Patel has claimed the terminations were for cause due to the 'weaponization' of the agency.
  • The plaintiffs have a combined service record of over a century, including work on the 2024 assassination attempt of Donald Trump.

Reported by only some outlets

  • The lawsuit alleges Special Agent Miles Starr accessed the 'Plasmic Echo' case file shortly after video of Kash Patel partying at the Winter Olympics circulated.
  • The plaintiffs' attorneys include Abbe D. Lowell, Margaret Donovan, and Rebecca S. Tinio.
  • The lawsuit claims the hasty firings left sensitive counterintelligence investigations without proper transfer, impacting national security.
  • A similar lawsuit was filed earlier in the year by agents involved in the investigation into the 2020 election interference case.

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