FBI agents involved in investigations concerning former President Donald Trump have filed lawsuits against the Justice Department, expressing concerns that efforts to compile a list of these employees may lead to mass terminations. The federal lawsuits, lodged in Washington by anonymous agents, seek to halt the collection and sharing of names tied to probes of the January 6 Capitol riot and Trump’s handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
These actions come in response to the Justice Department’s recent request for details on personnel involved in the investigations, raising fears among agents of impending reprisals. Over the weekend, thousands of FBI staff were instructed to complete detailed surveys on their roles in these inquiries, heightening anxieties about job security.
The agents argue that the scrutiny they face is retaliatory, threatening both their safety and professional integrity, especially given Trump’s history of publicly voicing vengeance against those who oppose him. They assert that making their identities public could expose them and their families to harassment and violence from Trump’s supporters. Key figures in the lawsuits, described only as “John and Jane Does,” contend that the government’s actions are politically motivated and aimed at intimidation rather than accountability. One attorney labelled the potential disclosure of names as a precursor to an unlawful purge driven by political motives. The Justice Department has yet to comment on these allegations.