&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Lie detector purge’: FBI director Kash Patel accused of forcing out officials over ‘disloyalty’ after conducting polygraph test")
The FBI is facing internal chaos as Director Kash Patel continues to remove staff considered disloyal to the Trump administration. According to The New York Times, Patel has been pushing senior officials to take polygraph tests at an “rapid rate” as part of his campaign to prevent leaks from the agency.
One senior official told the Times he was pushed out last month after being forced to take a lie detector test. He said he believed he was targeted because he had not told Patel that his wife had taken a knee during the 2020 protests against police brutality in Washington, D.C.
Others have said the threat of polygraphs is being used to scare staff into silence, preventing them from speaking out about Patel’s decisions or criticising his leadership.
Trump ally leads controversial FBI shake-up
Kash Patel was appointed FBI Director by President Donald Trump earlier this year. He was tasked with ending what Republicans describe as the agency’s “weaponisation” under former President Joe Biden, particularly over the FBI’s past handling of the Russiagate investigation and Trump’s retention of classified documents.
Soon after taking charge, Patel reportedly asked about installing a direct phone line between his office and the White House—raising concerns about possible political interference. He has also drawn criticism for wanting to use a private security team instead of FBI-provided protection.
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Senior staff purged, elite unit disbanded
Under Patel, the FBI has seen an unprecedented shake-up. Many senior agents and executives have been demoted, placed on leave without explanation, or forced out altogether, according to the Times report.
A notable move involved disbanding a high-level investigations team in Washington, DC, which had been looking into Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election results.
Internal critics say the wave of firings, reassignments and early retirements has wiped out years of national security experience. They also argue that the agency is now unwilling to tolerate dissent, especially regarding actions taken by Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. Both Vance and Hegseth were reportedly involved in a leak scandal linked to the messaging app Signal.
