Two former FBI special agents alleged they were fired last year for their involvement in Operation Arctic Frost, the Biden administration’s investigation into Republicans over alleged fraud in the 2020 presidential election, in a new lawsuit against FBI Director Kash Patel, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and their respective agencies.
The plaintiffs, who go by “John Doe 1” and “John Doe 2” in the federal lawsuit, were unexpectedly terminated by Patel over a five-day period between October and November 2025.
“No internal investigation, notice, or hearing preceded their firings,” the Thursday complaint states. “Nor were Plaintiffs presented with any evidence purportedly supporting their firings or given an opportunity to appeal.”
Both ex-FBI agents made the case that they were booted from the bureau solely because they aided Operation Arctic Frost.
The full extent of the investigation was revealed last fall when the House Judiciary Committee released new records, disclosing that more than 160 Republican operatives, lawmakers, and Trump-aligned figures were under investigation for possible 2020 election-related crimes.
Additionally, the Senate Judiciary Committee revealed that special counsel Jack Smith, as part of his 2020 election investigation into Trump, issued subpoenas to over 400 Republican individuals and organizations for requested records and communications.
The lawsuit argues the Trump administration retaliated against the plaintiffs for their affiliation with Arctic Frost even though their involvement was minimal.
“Despite his listing as a point of contact, John Doe 1 himself prepared very few Arctic Frost subpoena requests and performed only a minor role in the investigation,” the suit states.
John Doe 2 was also not a primary or lead agent assigned to the case. Instead, per the court filing, he served a “supporting role, handling tasks such as recording interviews when requested by lead agents or prosecutors, arranging for transcription services for recorded interviews, and keeping track of interview logs and records.”
The first agent learned of his termination on Oct. 31, when he received a phone call before taking his children trick-or-treating on Halloween. The second agent was terminated on Nov. 3 after briefing Patel and then-FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino on a high-profile fraud case.
Both allege their First Amendment rights to free association and speech, and their Fifth Amendment rights to due process were violated.
They request that the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia review their firings and grant equitable relief, including reinstatement of their employment at the FBI.
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This isn’t the first time former FBI agents have sued the Trump administration for wrongful termination.
In December, a dozen agents claimed they were fired for political reasons in September after kneeling during a June 2020 George Floyd protest as part of a “de-escalation response” to a mob surrounding them. Patel triggered an internal review of the incident after the Biden administration closed the case. The lawsuit remains ongoing.
