Concerns are intensifying that the FBI may become politically biased and partisan, with reports indicating that the agency has sought assistance from a former aide to a close congressional associate of Donald Trump, as well as an individual connected to Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
According to NBC News, citing four current and former FBI officials, these individuals will act as advisers to the incoming director of the FBI. They will join two others who are believed to be retired agents within the intelligence and security service. This development comes as Kash Patel, Trump’s nominee to lead the FBI, is set to face senators on Thursday during their confirmation hearings.
Tom Ferguson, who previously served as an agent and aide to Representative Jim Jordan, is reportedly making a return to the agency, declaring he is “simply going back home to assist.” Jordan (R-OH) has frequently criticized the FBI as a tool of a corrupt Joe Biden. He is known for leading a 2023 subcommittee focused on the perceived “weaponization” of the FBI against conservatives and even proposed relocating the agency from Washington, D.C., to Alabama to protect it from what he perceives as liberal influence.
NBC reported that the identity of the other new appointment, someone linked to Trump’s close confidant Elon Musk, remains unknown and has not been disclosed previously. While it’s uncertain who facilitated these appointments or what their specific roles will entail, this development heightens concerns regarding the potential deterioration of the FBI’s longstanding commitment to being non-political and non-partisan.
According to NBC, some FBI officials expressed enthusiasm for the potential reforms that are needed, while others voiced apprehension about a “compromise of the agency’s long-standing tradition of keeping politics at bay.”
Rob D’Amico, a former agent, conveyed to the publication that the new appointees are tasked with overseeing reform initiatives, which will include deploying headquarters personnel into the field. “That’s essential,” he stated. “Operations have become overly D.C.-centric, and when headquarters is located in D.C., it’s natural for things to take on a political tone.”
However, D’Amico acknowledged that it is atypical to have individuals connected to partisan figures in such critical positions. “This must be approached with caution,” D’Amico remarked. “What will the chain of command look like? It’s crucial to ensure this doesn’t resemble the Russian political officer on a nuclear submarine, enforcing party loyalty.”
Another individual raised concerns about the agency potentially “imbuing a one-sided ideology and eliminating personnel who do not align with that perspective.”
