Following Donald Trump’s re-election, senior officials at FBI headquarters, particularly on the influential “seventh floor,” are reportedly “shell-shocked” and anxious about potential leadership changes and possible job losses.
Sources within the FBI described a state of shock and anticipation among executives, as many expect a significant restructuring, similar to Trump’s previous firing of then-FBI Director James Comey, according to a bombshell report in The Washington Times.
Current Director Christopher Wray and Deputy Director Paul Abbate are seen as unlikely to remain in their roles when Trump assumes office, prompting speculation that higher-level FBI staff may soon exit for private-sector security jobs.
“It’s a countdown for Wray because [people here] don’t think he will stay to get fired after what Trump did to Comey,” a source told The Washington Times. “Trump will say, ‘Yeah, fire his a—. Don’t let him take the plane home.’”
Comey was terminated while traveling to California on the FBI’s plane.
One source told The Washington Times a mass exodus of leadership is in the making: “You know the fit test? How they let the standards slack on the fit test? Everyone’s going to have a real problem when they’re running for the door.”
The source predicted that top FBI leadership would rush to submit retirement paperwork in a scramble to secure a position in the lucrative private security sector in Washington.
The Trump-FBI relationship has been tense since the agency’s 2016 investigation, “Crossfire Hurricane,” into alleged Russian connections with Trump’s campaign.
This historical friction, combined with recent FBI involvement in the January 6 investigations and the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case, has intensified concerns about a comprehensive personnel overhaul.
Additionally, rumors suggest that Elon Musk might join Trump’s administration to lead government efficiency initiatives, potentially targeting perceived inefficiencies within the FBI. Many FBI personnel are apprehensive that Musk’s involvement could lead to significant downsizing of their ranks.
