Trump's 'Personal Vendetta' Blamed as Nine FBI Staff Sue Over Firings Tied to His Classified Documents Case

Nine former FBI employees who helped investigate Donald Trump's handling of classified documents have accused his administration of carrying out a 'personal vendetta' after they were abruptly dismissed without hearings or disciplinary proceedings.

The former agents, intelligence analysts and operations specialists filed a 70-page lawsuit on Thursday, 15 October, alleging they were targeted because of their involvement in former special counsel Jack Smith's Mar-a-Lago investigation. Their dismissals came in February 2026, days before US and Israeli military strikes against Iran.

The lawsuit names FBI Director Kash Patel, Attorney General Todd Blanche, the FBI and the Department of Justice as defendants.

Trump 'Personal Vendetta' Allegedly Behind FBI Firings

According to the complaint, the nine employees were dismissed without legitimate grounds, internal investigations or opportunities to challenge their terminations. The plaintiffs allege their firings were intended to satisfy Trump's 'personal vendetta' against officials associated with investigations involving him.

Patel reportedly invoked Article II of the US Constitution, which outlines presidential executive powers, to justify the dismissals. The lawsuit also cites remarks from Blanche, who previously said the administration had 'cleaned house' at the FBI by removing employees connected to investigations involving Trump.

Patel has maintained that the dismissed employees contributed to the political 'weaponisation' of the bureau, an allegation the plaintiffs dispute.

Patel Aide Accessed Trump Case Files Before Firings

The lawsuit alleges that an FBI agent working with Patel accessed sensitive investigative records shortly before the employees were dismissed.

On 23 February, Miles Starr, a member of Patel's Director's Advisory Team, reportedly requested urgent access to files from the classified documents investigation, internally codenamed 'Plasmic Echo.'

Starr allegedly told Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky that he was acting on Patel's instructions.

Counterintelligence section chief Jennifer Bacon subsequently authorised access to the files, excluding one subfile. The records contained the names of all nine plaintiffs.

Less than 48 hours later, Bacon and the other employees were fired, according to the complaint. The timing forms part of the plaintiffs' allegations of politically motivated retaliation.

Patel's Olympics Beer Controversy Raised in Lawsuit

The complaint also suggests the dismissals may have been connected to criticism surrounding Patel's appearance at the Winter Olympics in Milan.

Patel faced scrutiny after footage emerged of him drinking beer and celebrating with the US men's hockey team.

According to the lawsuit, an official tasked with informing former agent Zach Feldman of his dismissal speculated about a possible connection between the firing and the Olympics coverage.

On 25 February, Patel separately disclosed that investigators had subpoenaed telephone records belonging to him and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles during Smith's investigations.

Eight employees were dismissed that day, followed by the ninth on 26 February.

Trump's Mar-a-Lago Classified Documents Investigation

The disputed firings stem from the FBI investigation into classified records retained at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate after his first presidency. Federal agents searched the Florida property in August 2022, recovering more than 100 documents bearing classified markings.

Smith subsequently brought criminal charges against Trump in 2023 over his alleged retention of sensitive government records and obstruction of efforts to recover them. Trump denied wrongdoing. The case was dismissed in 2024 after a federal judge ruled that Smith's appointment was unlawful.

The nine plaintiffs, whose combined FBI experience exceeds a century, are seeking reinstatement, back pay and a declaration that their dismissals were unlawful. Their previous assignments included counterintelligence investigations, hostage recovery operations and the Boston Marathon bombing response.