Q… who believes the Trump made me do it, blame shifting?
Trump Made Me do it!
https://clearinghouse-umich-production.s3.amazonaws.com/media/doc/163028.pdf
In a federal lawsuit filed on September 10, 2025, former high-ranking FBI officials allege that Director Kash Patel knowingly broke the law by firing them as part of a politically motivated "campaign of retribution". The complaint claims Patel admitted in private conversations that summary firings of agents who investigated President Trump were "likely illegal" and would lead to him being sued.
NPR
NPR
+3
Key Allegations in the Lawsuit
The 68-page complaint was filed by three veteran officials: Brian Driscoll (former acting FBI Director), Steven Jensen (former head of the Washington field office), and Spencer Evans (former head of the Las Vegas field office).
NPR
NPR
+1
Admission of Illegality: The suit alleges Patel told Driscoll that firing agents based on their case assignments was in "direct violation of internal FBI processes" and that he "knew the nature of the summary firings were likely illegal".
Political Pressure: Patel reportedly stated he had "no choice" because he was being pressured by the White House to remove anyone identified as having worked on criminal investigations against Trump. He allegedly remarked, "the FBI tried to put the president in jail and he hasn't forgotten it".
Job Security: The plaintiffs claim Patel suggested his own job as FBI Director depended on carrying out these removals.
Loyalty Tests: The lawsuit describes a vetting process where officials were allegedly asked about their voting history and whether they had supported Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.
Congress.gov
Congress.gov
+5
Context of the Firings
The plaintiffs argue their terminations violated their First Amendment rights to free association and Fifth Amendment rights to due process.
BBC
BBC
+1
Brian Driscoll: Allegedly fired after refusing to terminate an agent targeted by pro-Trump social media influencers.
Steven Jensen: Allegedly targeted for his role in investigations related to the January 6 Capitol riot.
Spencer Evans: Allegedly fired due to his handling of COVID-19 vaccine exemptions.
PBS
PBS
+3
Additional Legal Challenges
In a separate case filed in December 2025, 12 additional FBI agents sued Patel, alleging they were unlawfully fired for kneeling during 2020 George Floyd protests to de-escalate tensions. They claim Patel overrode internal reviews that had previously cleared them of wrongdoing.