FBI Director Kash Patel has terminated an agent-in-training for displaying a gay pride flag on his desk while stationed in California last year, according to reports. The employee, who had previously worked as an FBI support specialist in Los Angeles, received a termination letter dated October 1 from Patel. The document cited “poor judgment” for what it described as an “improper political message” in the workplace during his assignment under President Joe Biden.
The letter referenced President Donald Trump’s Article II powers to dismiss federal agency personnel, a rationale used in recent firings across the Department of Justice and FBI. These actions have sparked legal challenges. Patel’s correspondence stated the trainee was being “summarily dismissed” from his role at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, amid a government shutdown that created uncertainty for federal workers.
The terminated agent had previously been recognized with an Attorney General’s Award in 2022 for his work, according to a Justice Department release. The dismissal follows threats by Trump and White House official Russell Vought to purge federal employees during the shutdown.
The incident occurs amid implementation of the “One Flag Policy,” which restricts federal buildings to a single flag—excluding the rainbow pride symbol—under Trump-era guidelines.