INTERNACIONAL
Ex-government officials pen letter blasting Kash Patel’s FBI ‘purge’
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A group of former FBI, intelligence, diplomatic and national security officials released a letter blasting FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino for firing several bureau agents, saying they were targeted for not being loyal to President Trump.
The group, which dubs itself The Steady State, claims Agents Brian Driscoll, Michael Feinberg and Walter Giardina were fired as part of a campaign to dismantle the FBI’s «long-standing independence» while also setting it up as a «tool of political loyalty.»
The Steady State also claimed the agents were canned because they were not loyal to President Donald Trump, before accusing the administration of appointing Patel and Bongino to powerful roles despite not having resumes that meet the «basic standards» to lead the «world’s premiere law enforcement agency.»
«It is not about reform. It is about control. The aim, it seems, is to transform the FBI from a respected, constitutionally grounded investigative service into a personal enforcement arm of a political figure,» the letter reads. «We have seen these dynamics abroad—leaders who demand loyalty from security services not to the law, but to themselves. These regimes do not end well.»
FBI OUSTS FORMER ACTING DIRECTOR, AGENT INVOLVED IN J6 PROSECUTIONS, WITH MORE EXPECTED
Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s choice to be director of the FBI, appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation hearing, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP)
«The FBI has long been a bulwark against such corruption: an institution where rule of law and civil liberties are held in balance with the demands of national security,» the letter continued. «Its independence is not a bureaucratic feature; it is a democratic necessity.»
The Steady State told their friends and colleagues in the FBI that they recognize the pressure they are under.
«The nation is watching, and will be inspired by the FBI. And history will remember,» the letter concluded.
Last Thursday, the FBI ousted Driscoll, the former FBI acting director, as well as others, including Giardina, a special agent at the FBI who played a role in the investigation of Trump trade advisor Peter Navarro. Also let go was Steve Jensen, the acting director in charge of the Washington Field Office.
KASH PATEL TORCHES ‘CONSPIRACY THEORIES’ ABOUT BONDI FEUD AMID MAGA FUROR OVER EPSTEIN FILES
President Trump named Brian Driscoll to serve as acting director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (FBI)
Driscoll, for his part, served as acting director of the FBI prior to the confirmation of Patel, and Jensen played a key role in the January 6 investigations.
Senior FBI officials told the trio they needed to leave by Friday.
FBI DEPUTY DIRECTOR DAN BONGINO SLAMS NEW YORK TIMES FOR ‘POORLY THOUGHT-OUT HIT PIECE’
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino has been criticized by former FBI agents and other members of the federal intelligence community for not having a resume fit to lead the world’s premiere law enforcement agency. (Fox & Friends)
The FBI, Bongino and Patel declined to comment on Fox News Digital’s questions about The Steady State’s claims and on reasons why the agents were removed from their positions.
MSNBC journalist Ken Dilanian shared on social media a copy of the letter from Patel to Giardina.
«This document provides official notice that you are being summarily dismissed from your position at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and removed from the federal service, under my authority as the FBI Director, effective immediately,» Patel wrote. You have exercised poor judgment and a lack of impartiality in carrying out duties, leading to the political weaponization of the government.»
FBI’S TOP BOSS KASH PATEL SAYS BUREAU RAN COVER FOR HILLARY BUT IT ALL ENDS UNDER TRUMP
A person passes by the FBI seal on the wall of the FBI headquarters. (Reuters)
Former FBI Agent Phil Kennedy, who has been vocal on social media regarding the new regime’s handling of personnel matters, shared The Steady State’s letter, referring to the firings as the recent FBI «purge.»
«Walter Giardina, the disgraced anti-Trump Agent who worked on Jack Smith’s documents case with Kash’s pilot, has reportedly been terminated by the FBI,» Kennedy wrote in another post. «It’s a Bureau bloodbath.»
A scene from the January 6 riot at the US Capitol in 2021. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)
News of the agents’ firings comes months after thousands of FBI personnel in February were ordered to fill out a questionnaire asking detailed questions about possible roles in the investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riots.
The questionnaire, first reported by Fox News Digital, sparked concern that it could be used to retaliate against agents involved in the January 6 investigations. Those concerns reached a fever pitch later that month, after then-Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove ordered the bureau to compile a list of all current and former personnel who worked on January 6 cases.
The Trump administration has not yet said whether it will move to act against the individuals involved.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
In February, President Trump declined to answer questions over whether his administration would remove FBI employees involved in the investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot, telling reporters only that he believes the bureau is «corrupt» and that then-FBI director nominee, Patel, would «straighten it out.»
Fox News Digital’s Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.
fbi,kash patel,dan bongino,police and law enforcement,justice department,donald trump
INTERNACIONAL
Trump DOJ opens mortgage fraud probe into Eric Swalwell as congressman vows to keep fighting back
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The Department of Justice under President Donald Trump has opened a probe into Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., over alleged mortgage fraud, Fox News has confirmed.
In response, Swalwell said he was not surprised to be targeted by Trump and vowed to keep speaking out while pursuing his lawsuit.
«As the most vocal critic of Donald Trump over the last decade and as the only person who still has a surviving lawsuit against him, the only thing I am surprised about is that it took him this long to come after me,» the California lawmaker said.
«Like James Comey and John Bolton, Adam Schiff and Lisa Cook, Letitia James and the dozens more to come – I refuse to live in fear in what was once the freest country in the world.
SWALWELL THREATENS ‘ACCOUNTABILITY’ TO PRIVATE ACTORS WHO DEAL WITH TRUMP, HOPE IT ‘DETERS PEOPLE’
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., listens during a news conference on the introduction of their Protection from Abusive Passengers Act at the U.S. Capitol Building on April 6, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
«Of course, I will not end my lawsuit against him. And I will not stop speaking out against the President and speaking up for Californians,» he continued. «As Mark Twain said, ‘Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.’ Mr. President, do better. Be better.»
The probe, which was first reported by NBC, will investigate allegations of millions of dollars in loans and refinancing were based on Swalwell declaring that his primary residence was in Washington, D.C., a person familiar with the referral told the news organization.
According to the report, the director of the Federal Housing Agency, Bill Pulte, sent Attorney General Pam Bondi a letter on Wednesday accusing Swalwell of possibly making false or misleading statements on loan documents.
HOW JAMES COMEY’S INDICTMENT COULD GO SOUTH FOR THE DOJ
The source also reportedly told NBC the investigation is into possible mortgage fraud, tax fraud at the state and local level, insurance fraud and any related crimes.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Justice for comment on the matter.
The news comes the same day that MSNBC reported that two sources confirmed Swalwell is looking at a run for governor in California.
The two sources reportedly told the news agency Swalwell has all but decided on the move, and one source even said the lawmaker could make an announcement as early as next week.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Swalwell’s office for confirmation on the matter.
MSNBC reported that Swalwell declined to comment on his gubernatorial ambitions.
SWALWELL, NEHLS CLASH AT CHILD MIGRANT HEARING OVER ALLEGED CHINESE SPY TIES: ‘YOU DON’T GET TO SAY THAT S—‘
Representative Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., was criminally referred to the DOJ for alleged mortgage fraud. (John Lamparski)
Swalwell has been one of Trump’s most outspoken critics, and last month he faced scrutiny over a «bizarre inconsistency» in his campaign’s Federal Election Commission filings that list several different reasons for payments to a Haitian American staffer totaling more than $360,000.
FEC filings from Swalwell for Congress and his Remedy PAC, dating back to 2021, show more than 75 payments to staffer Darly Meyer, ranging from $53 to more than $12,000 for various reasons.
Meyer received 27 payments last year totaling more than $120,000 and is on pace to earn a similar amount in 2025. The filings list multiple explanations for the disbursements, including travel, car and security services, and salary, as well as reimbursements for personal travel expenses, event flowers, and postage.
Over the years, Swalwell’s campaign has reported numerous expenditures on luxury car services, expensive restaurants, and high-end hotels in international cities such as Dubai, Berlin, Paris and London.
Swalwell also claimed there was strong evidence of collusion between Russia and Trump, but those claims have since been contradicted.
Durham’s report, released in 2023, found intelligence agencies lacked «actual evidence of collusion» to justify launching the Trump-Russia probe. The findings echoed Robert Mueller’s 2019 report, which found no criminal conspiracy between Trump’s campaign and Russia.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
eric swalwell,justice department,donald trump,investigations
INTERNACIONAL
Panorama Internacional: Chile, elecciones con sorpresa y las deudas pendientes del 2019
Franco Parisi, Jeannette Jara, Marco Enriquez-Ominami, Johannes Kaiser, Jose Antonio Kast, Eduardo Artes, Evelyn Matthei y Mayne-Nicholls. Foto Reuters
Manifestantes ondean una bandera chilena durante una protesta contra el gobierno de Chile en Santiago de Chile, el 30 de diciembre de 2019. Foto ReutersINTERNACIONAL
El acuerdo con EE.UU. selló el alineamiento de Milei con Trump, pero abrió interrogantes en el Mercosur
El acuerdo sobre comercio e inversiones anunciado entre Estados Unidos y la Argentina selló a fuego el total e inflexible alineamiento del gobierno de Javier Milei con Donald Trump, pero al mismo tiempo abrió una serie de interrogantes sobre cómo impactará este entendimiento en el futuro del Mercosur y la relación con Brasil.
No por nada el acuerdo se conoció en la misma semana que desde la Cancillería se anunció que Milei se ausentará de la futura cumbre del bloque prevista en diciembre en Foz de Iguazú, donde Lula da Silva entregará a Paraguay la presidencia pro-tempore del bloque.
Leé también: Punto por punto, todos los detalles del acuerdo comercial entre la Argentina y EE.UU.
El estatuto del pacto regional impide a los países miembro suscribir acuerdos comerciales en forma individual. Milei, como lo hizo el anterior gobierno de Uruguay de Luis Lacalle Pou, busca hacer más elásticas estas disposiciones y abrir el pacto.
“La Argentina no puede negociar bilateralmente ni hacer acuerdos por su cuenta. Pero esto es un acuerdo marco que el gobierno puede presentar como exploratorio”, dijo a TN el analista internacional Mauro Embe.
El Gobierno cuidó mucho las formas de este acuerdo. La Casa Blanca lo anunció a través de “una declaración conjunta sobre el marco para un acuerdo entre Estados Unidos y la Argentina sobre comercio e inversión recíprocos”. No se habló de un acuerdo comercial.
“Así puede manejar en cierta forma los tiempos”, indicó el analista.
¿Cómo reaccionarán los demás socios del Mercosur?
El gobierno tiene como gran aliado dentro del bloque al presidente paraguayo, Santiago Peña, con quien Milei tiene un aceitado vínculo por su estrecha afinidad ideológica. Ahora se suma Rodrigo Paz, flamante mandatario de Bolivia, el último país en incorporarse al bloque.
En la vereda de enfrente se encuentra en especial Luiz Lula da Silva, némesis de Milei en el Cono Sur, y el más pragmático mandatario progresista uruguayo, Yamandú Orsi. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva y Javier Milei se vieron en Buenos Aires en la última cumbre del MERCOSUR (Vía Reuters)
“Lo que ha hecho el gobierno argentino es medio border. Está en el límite dentro de lo legal (que marca el estatuto del Mercosur). Esto podría generar una queja interna ante este avance unilateral”, dijo Embe.
Para el analista, “este acuerdo marco podría transformarse en un tratado, aunque en ningún lado se habla de un pacto de libre comercio. Lleva a futuros acuerdos. Fueron muy cautos en el nombre en este acuerdo marco para favorecer inversiones”, afirmó.
Leé también: Ser obeso o tener un hijo con discapacidad podría ser un motivo de rechazo de la visa para ingresar a EE.UU.
Ahora se abre un período de negociaciones en el seno del bloque. Si bien aún no fue definida una fecha de la cumbre, se estima que podría celebrarse el 20 de diciembre con las notorias ausencias de Milei y de Peña.
Cómo impactará el acuerdo con EE.UU. en la relación con Brasil
En este nuevo escenario no cabe duda de que el anunciado acuerdo entre Argentina y EE.UU. impactará de manera negativa en el difícil vínculo entre Buenos Aires y Brasilia.
“El primer impacto inmediato es el debilitamiento del Mercosur. Los acuerdos puntuales de país a país debilitan al bloque. Pero además, en función del conflicto que enfrenta a Brasil con EE.UU. en materia arancelaria, esto desgasta aún más la relación entre Milei y Lula que ya no era buena pero permanecía” sin cambios en el terreno comercial, dijo a TN el analista brasileño Marco Teixeira, de la Fundación Getúlio Vargas, de Río de Janeiro.
Leé también: Uruguay sufre una epidemia de homicidios: crece la inseguridad vinculada al narcotráfico
El acuerdo se sumará así a la anunciada ausencia de Milei de la cumbre del Mercosur en la que Brasil deberá traspasar la presidencia pro-témpore a Paraguay y donde espera anunciar el postergado tratado comercial con la Unión Europea (UE).
¿Qué pasará ahora con el Mercosur?
Milei cumplió el mandato de alinear a su gobierno detrás de la Casa Blanca en absolutamente todos los aspectos.
“Este es un punto más en el alineamiento total con EE.UU. Por supuesto esto tiene un precio. Más allá de la afinidad ideológica, Milei reduce la maniobrabilidad en ciertos sectores. Cuando un país se alinea tanto con una gran potencia cualquier margen de maniobra o pragmatismo se agota o se reduce”, dijo Embe.
En este contexto, el Mercosur está llamado a sufrir en los próximos 30 días fuertes turbulencias.
El analista internacional Juan Negri dijo a TN que la firma de este entendimiento con Washington “es una prueba más del estancamiento del bloque regional, de la incapacidad de adaptarse a nuevas realidades y de las visiones distintas que imperan en el interior del bloque”.
“El Mercosur se encuentra en una encrucijada. Tiene una estructura que le hace muy difícil reformarse porque tienen que estar todos los socios de acuerdo. Es un bloque agujereado que entra en tensión cada vez que en la Argentina y Brasil asumen gobiernos de derecha”, afirmó.
EE.UU, comercio
La nueva regulación de Internet ya está en vigor y estas son cuatro cosas que cambian, pero no afectará por igual a todos los países de la UE
Pagos electrónicos: el BCRA activa bloqueos para quienes figuren en la base fiscal de no confiables
Trump DOJ opens mortgage fraud probe into Eric Swalwell as congressman vows to keep fighting back
El embajador de Estados Unidos habló tras el acuerdo comercial con la Argentina: “Nunca estuvimos tan juntos”
Acuerdo comercial entre EE.UU. y Argentina, en vivo: repercusiones del anuncio y las próximas etapas
Jürgen Klopp vuelve a las canchas: ¿cuál será tu próximo trabajo?
Wada Nara se despidió de sus hijas con un desgarrador mensaje al entregárselas a Mauro Icardi: «Que la pasen hermoso»
Axel Kicillof prometió no subir impuestos, pero montó un mecanismo de recaudación con Ingresos Brutos
Guiño al crédito fintech: el BCRA autorizará el débito directo de cuotas, prohibido durante el Gobierno anterior
En Formosa cobran un impuesto a los camiones para poder circular: piden que el gobierno nacional intervenga
CHIMENTOS3 días agoWada Nara se despidió de sus hijas con un desgarrador mensaje al entregárselas a Mauro Icardi: «Que la pasen hermoso»
- ECONOMIA2 días ago
Guiño al crédito fintech: el BCRA autorizará el débito directo de cuotas, prohibido durante el Gobierno anterior
- POLITICA3 días ago
En Formosa cobran un impuesto a los camiones para poder circular: piden que el gobierno nacional intervenga
