AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
FBI Director Kash Patel fired an FBI agent trainee after the trainee displayed a gay pride flag on his desk last year, NBC News reported on Thursday.
Citing three people familiar with the matter, NBC News reported the trainee had worked as a support specialist in Los Angeles last year. The trainee received a letter dated Oct. 1 informing him of his termination due to an improper “political signage” in his workplace during the Biden administration.
“You are being summarily dismissed from your position as a New Agent Trainee at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, and removed from the federal service,” the letter from Patel stated. The letter was sent on the first day of the ongoing shutdown of the federal government.
“After reviewing the facts and circumstances and considering your probationary status, I have determined that you exercised poor judgment with an inappropriate display of political signage in your work area during your previous assignment in the Los Angeles Field Office,” the letter continued. “After reviewing the facts and circumstances and considering your probationary status, I have determined that you exercised poor judgment with an inappropriate display of political signage in your work area during your previous assignment in the Los Angeles Field Office.”
NBC News reported that some FBI agents in the Washington field office “to scour their work stations and social media accounts for signs or comments — anything that could be viewed as offensive to Trump, his top appointees and MAGA supporters, according to one person familiar with the reaction within the government.”
Since taking office, President Donald Trump and his administration have been expunging from the government diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. NBC News said that a Department of Justice LGBTQ resource group called DOJ Pride, shuttered shortly after Trump took office for his second term.
“In this time of uncertainty and concern, we have taken the extraordinary measure of ceasing operations of DOJ Pride,” an email from the group to its members in January read. “We have made this decision in the interest and for the protection of all members.”
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