2 Ex-FBI Agents Sue After Firing Over Trump Election Probe

Lawsuit claims agents were terminated solely for their roles in investigating Trump's effort to overturn 2020 election results.

Mar. 20, 2026 at 12:03am

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Two former FBI agents have filed a federal lawsuit claiming they were fired 'solely' because of their participation in an investigation into former President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The agents, identified as John Doe 1 and John Doe 2, say they had spotless disciplinary records and 'exemplary' performance reviews before being abruptly terminated in November 2025. They are seeking reinstatement and a court declaration that their dismissals were unlawful.

Why it matters

The lawsuit is the latest in a series of court challenges to a personnel purge at the FBI under Director Kash Patel, who has targeted agents involved in investigations of the former Republican president or perceived as out of step with the administration's agenda. The case raises concerns about potential political interference in federal law enforcement.

The details

The two agents say they were assigned to a supporting role in the investigation into Trump's efforts to remain in power after losing the 2020 election to Democrat Joe Biden. They claim they were given no explanation for their firings, which came soon after Sen. Chuck Grassley, a Trump ally, released unredacted DOJ documents related to the investigation that exposed one of the agents' names.

  • The agents were fired in November 2025.
  • One agent was about to go trick-or-treating with his children on Halloween 2025 when he was summoned and given a termination notice.
  • Days later, the other agent, described as the most senior case agent on active local public corruption cases, was similarly fired.

The players

John Doe 1

One of two former FBI agents who filed the lawsuit. He joined the FBI over 20 years ago, specialized in white-collar, public corruption and fraud cases, and received a Medal of Excellence for his performance.

John Doe 2

The other former FBI agent who filed the lawsuit. He graduated from the FBI Academy in 2018 and was working on public corruption cases at the time of his firing, having directly briefed FBI Director Kash Patel on a particular investigation.

Kash Patel

The current FBI Director who has overseen a personnel purge targeting agents involved in investigations of former President Trump or perceived as out of step with the administration's agenda.

Chuck Grassley

A Republican Senator from Iowa who has asserted that the FBI's investigation into Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, known as Arctic Frost, was politically motivated.

Joe Biden

The Democratic candidate who defeated former President Trump in the 2020 presidential election.

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What they’re saying

“These agents did exactly what they were trained to do: they accepted an assignment from their supervisors and carried it out professionally and apolitically.”

— Elizabeth Tulis, Lawyer for the fired agents

“In Arctic Frost, as in all other investigations to which they were assigned, Plaintiffs fully adhered to DOJ policies and procedures, including applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, and executed their law enforcement duties without bias or political motive.”

— John Doe 1 and John Doe 2, The fired agents

“Patel went back on a promise not to fire agents based on the cases they were assigned. Her clients 'were among the Bureau's finest, and they deserve better.”

— Margaret Donovan, Lawyer for the fired agents

What’s next

The lawsuit seeks the agents' reinstatement and a court declaration that their terminations were unlawful.

The takeaway

This case highlights concerns about potential political interference in federal law enforcement, as the FBI under Director Kash Patel has targeted agents involved in investigations of the former Republican president or perceived as out of step with the administration's agenda.