FBI Director Kash Patel has fired a longtime bureau worker who displayed a Pride flag in his workspace throughout a previous task, based on a number of individuals conversant in the termination.
The worker was present process new agent coaching on the FBI’s academy in Quantico, Virginia, when he acquired a letter from Patel ordering his quick dismissal.
In a earlier non-agent position with the FBI, the worker, who acquired a number of awards for service throughout his profession, had additionally been a discipline workplace variety program coordinator and displayed a Pride flag at his workstation, sources stated.
In notifying the person of their dismissal, Patel didn’t particularly point out the Pride flag by title, however stated the agent trainee was being summarily dismissed for previous “poor judgment” and “an inappropriate display of political signage,” sources stated.
Two FBI veterans informed NCS displaying the flag at one’s desk traditionally wouldn’t violate any previous FBI coverage. However, since taking workplace, President Donald Trump has vowed to rid the federal authorities of what he calls “woke” ideology.
The FBI didn’t instantly return a request for remark from NCS.
The firing comes lower than every week since Patel fired over a dozen other FBI workers who took a knee whereas conducting crowd management in 2020 after being confronted by a gaggle of demonstrators within the nation’s capital. The act of taking a knee, which appeared to de-escalate the state of affairs, drew sharp criticism from some conservatives, together with individuals contained in the FBI. Previous FBI Director Christopher Wray concluded that it didn’t violate bureau coverage.
Since assuming workplace, Patel has fired or pressured the resignation of quite a few FBI personnel, including three senior executives who filed a lawsuit claiming their terminations have been pushed by the White House on the urging of Trump’s political allies.