The FBI has terminated two special agents linked to Jack Smith’s investigations into President Donald Trump, with personnel action taken against a third. These moves come amid growing scrutiny over the bureau’s role in what many see as a politically motivated operation against Trump and his supporters.
Details emerged this week that the agents were part of “Arctic Frost,” an FBI probe launched in April 2022 that laid the groundwork for Smith’s federal cases against Trump. That investigation zeroed in on Trump’s handling of classified documents and efforts surrounding the 2020 election, culminating in the January 6 events. Revelations show the FBI obtained phone toll records from eight Republican senators during this probe, tracking numbers dialed and call durations without content.
Senators Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson have led the charge in exposing these tactics, releasing records earlier this year that detail the sweeping nature of the operation. “The Arctic Frost investigation formed the basis of Jack Smith’s elector case against President Donald Trump,” Grassley noted in a recent statement. The probe seized government-issued cell phones from Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence, while agents conducted interviews nationwide.
FBI Director Kash Patel, appointed by President Trump in February 2025, confirmed the firings during a Fox News appearance. “You’re darn right I fired those agents; you’re darn right I blew up CR-15, the public corruption squad, that led the weaponization at the Washington Field Office,” Patel said. The CR-15 unit, deeply involved in Smith’s work, was disbanded earlier this spring, but the terminations happened just days ago.
One dismissed agent, a combat veteran close to retirement eligibility, got called back to the office after heading home for the day to receive the news. The other fired agent faced a similar abrupt recall.
President Trump wasted no time responding to the broader revelations about Arctic Frost, labeling Smith a “sleazebag” in comments that captured widespread frustration with the special counsel’s methods. Smith’s January report claimed Trump inspired violence on January 6 and pushed false election fraud narratives, asserting a conviction would have followed without Trump’s return to the presidency.
“Operation Arctic Frost” was a taxpayer-funded witch hunt launched in April 2022 that seized government-issued cell phones belonging to Trump and Pence while conducting a barrage of interviews across the country.
Critics argue these firings signal a much-needed purge of elements within the FBI that overstepped under the previous administration, potentially spying on lawmakers to build cases against political opponents. With Patel at the helm, questions arise about whether more agents or officials tied to Smith’s team will face consequences, especially as documents continue to surface.
Senators like Cynthia Lummis have demanded further details from the FBI on the extent of surveillance, pressing if it went beyond what’s already admitted. Some Republicans, including Josh Hawley, have raised alarms over what they describe as phone tapping, though officials clarify it involved only toll records.
This development fits a pattern of accountability since Trump’s 2nd term begin where the new administration has moved to dismantle perceived abuses in federal agencies. Patel’s tenure has already seen clashes with holdovers from the Biden era, including shuttering units accused of politicized work.
As more layers peel back, the full scope of how the DOJ and FBI targeted Trump allies could expose a coordinated effort to undermine his presidency. These firings might just be the first pieces toppling in a larger chain reaction against those who weaponized government power.
