Two former FBI agents have initiated a lawsuit against Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel, claiming their dismissals were directly tied to their involvement in a high-profile investigation concerning attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. The complaint, filed on Thursday, identifies the plaintiffs as "John Doe 1" and "John Doe 2," former special agents who were part of the "Arctic Frost" probe.
Details of the Arctic Frost Investigation
The lawsuit outlines that the agents were assigned by their superiors to the Arctic Frost investigation, which focused on a suspected conspiracy to illegally disrupt the 2020 election results. This assignment was among many duties they handled during their tenure at the FBI. The investigation was later transferred to the office of special counsel Jack Smith, leading to a grand jury indictment of Donald Trump in 2023.
Post-Election Developments and Firings
Following Trump's victory in the 2024 presidential election, the Justice Department moved to dismiss the indictment based on a policy against prosecuting sitting presidents. In late October and early November 2025, the two plaintiffs were terminated from the FBI. The firings occurred after Republican members of Congress publicly released unredacted documents related to Arctic Frost, which included the name of one plaintiff. Legislators labeled Arctic Frost agents as partisan operatives during this release.
The complaint asserts that the agents' terminations were "based solely on their assignment to Arctic Frost," with no internal investigation, notice, hearing, or opportunity for appeal provided. It argues that Bondi, Trump, and others perceived the agents as politically opposed to President Trump due to their role in the investigation.
Legal Claims and Relief Sought
The plaintiffs are seeking a court declaration that their firings violated their First and Fifth Amendment rights. They request reinstatement to their previous FBI positions and a court order preventing the defendants from taking further adverse personnel actions without due process. The Justice Department has not commented on the lawsuit outside of normal business hours.
