Names of FBI Agents Who Investigated Capitol Riots to Be Provided to Trump-Era DOJ Officials

 Some FBI executives considered denying the requests for names but ultimately chose to comply, as bureau lawyers determined it was a lawful order.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, left, talks to Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Sept. 29, 2021

Feb. 4, 2025, 7:38 AM GMT+6

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FBI executives considered resisting Justice Department demands to disclose the names of personnel involved in Capitol riot cases but ultimately complied, determining the request was a lawful order, according to current and former FBI officials who spoke with NBC News.

Initially, FBI leadership explored limiting disclosure to only managers and senior executives. However, the bureau’s Office of General Counsel ruled that the Trump Justice Department’s demand for all names was legally binding, leaving no option but to comply.

The FBI Agents Association, representing field agents, and former FBI Director William Webster strongly opposed the move, sending a letter to congressional leaders denouncing the dismissal of eight senior FBI officials on Friday.

“These actions, carried out without transparency or due process, create dangerous distractions,” the letter stated. “They threaten ongoing investigations and undermine the Bureau’s ability to collaborate with state, local, and international partners to safeguard the nation.”

The Society of Retired Special Agents, an organization representing former FBI personnel, also urged its members to contact lawmakers and protest potential disciplinary actions against Jan. 6 case investigators.

“These employees were assigned these cases as part of their regular duties,” the group’s message read. “They risk their lives daily to protect this country, and now the entire FBI workforce is being distracted from its critical responsibilities.”

Democratic senators on the Judiciary Committee demanded answers from Trump administration officials at both the Justice Department and the FBI regarding the recent dismissals and reassignments of senior law enforcement personnel. In letters obtained exclusively by NBC News, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois and other Democrats expressed alarm over what they described as “a serious threat to national security.”

The letters, addressed to incoming Attorney General Pam Bondi and other key Trump appointees, requested documentation related to the administration’s personnel actions. Democrats cited concerns that up to 20 senior career Justice Department attorneys had been reassigned or removed and noted that at least eight senior FBI managers had been fired. They warned that a broader purge targeting FBI agents involved in Capitol riot investigations might be underway.

“President Trump won the 2024 election,” the senators wrote, “but that does not give him the authority to dismantle the federal civil service or replace experienced, nonpartisan officials with individuals whose sole qualification is loyalty to him rather than the Constitution and laws of the United States.”

Among the 11 Republican senators on the Judiciary Committee, only Eric Schmitt of Missouri responded to requests for comment.

“President Trump was given a mandate by the American people, and this election was about reformers versus permanent Washington,” Schmitt said in a statement. “He is now delivering on his promises by enacting reforms at agencies that desperately need them, including the FBI. Democrats should pace themselves with their outrage—it’s going to be a long four years for them.”

The Trump administration’s rapid and sweeping personnel changes have left Democrats scrambling to respond. Experts warn that some of these actions may be illegal.

“As America faces heightened security threats, these alarming removals and reassignments strip the DOJ and FBI of experienced leadership,” the Democratic senators' letter stated. “This undermines decades of expertise in combating violent crime, espionage, and terrorism.”

Despite their objections, Democrats lack the power to enforce document requests or block Trump’s nominee for FBI director, Kash Patel, whose confirmation vote is set for next week. Republican senators on the Judiciary Committee have largely remained silent about the unfolding crisis at the FBI.

Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has not publicly commented on the situation or responded to media inquiries. Patel also declined to comment through a spokesperson.

During his confirmation hearing Thursday, Patel denied knowledge of any plans for mass firings at the FBI. However, just hours later, reports surfaced that the Justice Department had forced out eight top executives, including the heads of the Miami and Washington field offices.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has escalated efforts to obtain the names of all FBI employees involved in Jan. 6 investigations, fueling fears of widespread dismissals within the bureau. Acting FBI Director Brian Driscoll assured employees in a weekend message that agents cannot be fired or disciplined without due process.

James Dennehy, head of the New York field office, took a stronger stance in an email to staff, openly challenging the administration’s actions.

“We find ourselves in the middle of a battle,” Dennehy wrote. “Good people are being walked out of the FBI, and others are being targeted simply for doing their jobs in accordance with the law and Bureau policy.”

Ousted Prosecutors Collect Their Belongings

Several federal prosecutors fired over their involvement in Jan. 6 cases returned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C., on Monday to return government-issued devices and retrieve personal belongings.

Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Martin declined to answer questions as he left the building. Martin, a known advocate of the “Stop the Steal” movement, was present at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He has previously spread conspiracy theories about the attack and defended those charged in connection with it.

Shortly after Martin’s departure, several dismissed prosecutors emerged, carrying their personal effects. One received flowers from her father as a show of support.

Hired specifically to help manage the overwhelming caseload of Capitol riot prosecutions, these attorneys were still on probationary status when they were abruptly dismissed Friday evening. None faced accusations of wrongdoing, but their termination letters referenced Trump’s executive order pardoning and commuting the sentences of Jan. 6 rioters.

The letters described the prosecutions as “a grave national injustice perpetrated against the American people.”