The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has dismissed four agents who were part of former Special Counsel Jack Smith’s team investigating former U.S. President Donald Trump, according to five sources familiar with the matter who spoke to Reuters. Some of the dismissals were later reversed, raising questions about internal decision-making within the bureau.
The move marks the latest in a series of personnel shake-ups involving officials who previously worked on investigations tied to Trump or his associates.
Agents Dismissed Amid Political Scrutiny
Among those fired was Jeremy Desor, who recently became a target of online criticism after Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley released over 1,000 pages of subpoenas from Smith’s probe, code-named “Arctic Frost.” The investigation focused on efforts to keep Trump in office following his 2020 election defeat to President Joe Biden.
Grassley’s release of the documents which did not redact the names of FBI or Justice Department personnel led to a surge of attention on those involved in the investigation.
Another dismissed agent, Jamie Garman, had been placed on administrative leave weeks earlier, following Grassley’s disclosure of records showing Smith’s team had obtained limited tolling data from the cellphones of several Republican lawmakers around the time of the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Two other agents Blaire Toleman and David Geist were also informed of their terminations on Monday, but later told the decisions had been rescinded. Toleman, now based in the FBI’s Chicago office, previously led a public corruption unit that was disbanded earlier this year. Geist, who served as assistant special agent in charge of the Washington Field Office during Smith’s investigation, currently works with an FBI crisis response team specializing in hostage rescue and other emergencies.
Sources told Reuters that additional agents also faced terminations on Monday, some of which were subsequently reversed. The reasons for the reversals remain unclear.
The FBI declined to comment on the matter, and Reuters was unable to reach the four agents involved.
Political Fallout and Transparency Debate
Senator Grassley defended the publication of the subpoena documents, saying:
“The public has a right to know how the government is spending their hard-earned tax dollars. If agents were engaged in wrongdoing, they should be held accountable. Transparency brings accountability.”
While obtaining phone tolling data which reveals call duration and general location but not call content is common in criminal investigations, Grassley and other Trump allies have accused the FBI of “spying” on lawmakers.
Smith’s legal team has denied any wrongdoing, calling such claims “inaccurate assertions”, and emphasizing that the subpoenas were lawfully issued as part of the broader 2020 election inquiry.
Trump remains the only person charged federally in that investigation.
Pattern of Dismissals Linked to Trump Probes
In recent months, dozens of FBI and Justice Department employees who worked on cases related to the January 6 Capitol attack or Trump’s post-election activities have reportedly been dismissed.
Former FBI Acting Director Brian Driscoll and the ex-head of the Washington Field Office both of whom oversaw January 6 cases have since filed lawsuits against FBI Director Kash Patel and the Justice Department, claiming political pressure from the White House influenced their terminations.
If substantiated, the allegations could further inflame tensions over claims of political interference within federal law enforcement and its handling of Trump-related investigations.
