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Nine former FBI employees allege unlawful firings over Trump classified documents case

Nine former employees who worked on the Trump classified documents case seek reinstatement and back pay; Patel has said the firings were for cause.

Updated Oct 15, 2026 · 22:12 UTC5 reports

The short version

  • Nine former FBI employees who worked on the Trump classified documents case sued Patel and Blanche on Thursday.[NBC News]
  • The plaintiffs allege they were fired without notice, a hearing, or internal discipline, and that the firings were politically motivated.[CBS News]
  • Patel has told Congress the firings were for cause, a claim the suit disputes, and no ruling has been reported.[PBS NewsHour · NBC News]

Key facts

  • Nine former FBI employees filed a lawsuit Thursday against FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Todd Blanche alleging their firings were unlawful.[NBC News]
  • The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and names the FBI, Patel, Blanche, and the Department of Justice as defendants.[CBS News]
  • The named plaintiffs are Jennifer Bacon, Zach Feldman, Gilbert Granados, Catherine Herrera, Harrison Kaufman, Jeremy Linton, Erin Matanic, Danielle Ray, and Rachel Vaccaro.[NBC News]
  • The plaintiffs allege they were terminated without notice, a hearing, or internal disciplinary process to satisfy the president's personal vendetta.[CBS News]
  • Patel told Congress the fired employees were dismissed for cause after internal investigations, a claim the lawsuit says is not true.[NBC News]
  • The suit seeks reinstatement, back pay, and a court order declaring the firings unlawful.[PBS NewsHour · NBC News]

What remains uncertain

  • Patel's account that the employees were fired for cause is disputed by the plaintiffs, and the reporting reviewed does not resolve it.[PBS NewsHour · NBC News]
  • The lawsuit's outcome is unknown, and no court ruling is reported in the sources reviewed.[CBS News · PBS NewsHour · NBC News]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.