FBI Director Kash Patel has been accused of threatening staff charged with redacting the government’s files on Jeffrey Epstein, and using their mistakes as an excuse to fire them.
In a complaint made in March 2025 and obtained and published Tuesday byThe PunchUp, a whistleblower who worked for the FBI’s Information Management Division described the chaotic, high-pressure process of readacting the Epstein files for release.
“The director has threatened to fire [FBI staff] if the job is not done by his made up deadline, and has already tried to slim down the FBI,” the whistleblower wrote. “What better way than to fire us during this ever changing process, or as scapegoats for the DOJ’s lack of proper procedures.”
The complaint came as the Department of Justiceshedthousands of employees.
John Sullivan, former section chief in the intelligence division, toldThe New York Timesin January that Patel had berated employees on the redaction team during a conference call, telling them to work faster and that he’d fire anyone who didn’t meet his deadlines—a claim that is now reinforced by the whistleblower’s accusation.
The whistleblower also warned that reviewers were not removing personal information that could be used to identify bureau employees, and that details they’d be instructed to leave unredacted could expose survivors’ identities. The whistleblower raised concerns that the DOJ would publish the material without further checks and blame the FBI for any mistakes.
“I am concerned that the rush deadline on the project, for no [discernible] reason, will lead to mistakes that could destroy people’s lives,” they wrote.
Catherine Sheehan Bruno, assistant FBI director and chief ethics and compliance officer, responded to the complaint on March 24, 2025, saying she was obliged to report the allegations. The following day, an FBI lawyer confirmed that the employee was willing to be identified to the inspector general. Then the FBI closed its own case. It’s unclear whether the inspector general took the matter any further or whether anyone charged with reviewing the Epstein files was subsequently fired.
In the end, there were thousands of redaction errors in the DOJ’s massive release of Epstein-related documents, which allegedlyexposed the names of at least 100 survivors. Nearly40 nude photos of women, possibly underage, were mistakenly released unredacted, while an innocuous photo of President Donald Trumpsomehow was redacted.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s senior religious adviser is just as bigoted as he is, if not more.
CNNreportedthat Ryan Higgins, who has closely advised Hegseth since he assumed office, has used his social media platforms to spread racism, homophobia, Islamophobia, and xenophobia. Before joining the Pentagon, Higgins worked with Ben Carson’s 2016 presidential campaign, as well as with Turning Point USA’s Charlie Kirk.
In 2024, Higgins, who calls himself an “American Settler” on X,postedthat “Islam teaches death to all who do not comply.” In January, hewrotethat “violent illegal immigrants and even many ‘asylum seekers’ are destroying the entire planet. This is not just an America issue. They act like barbarians, killing and raping our white women.” The very next month, hecalledimmigrants “absolute animals” who “by definition and action, have no interest in assimilating and embracing the culture. These people many times come from barbaric cultures which has no place in the western world.” And in February, heasked, “How long until the monarchy is dethroned by Muslims?”
In January, hebeggedAmerican Christians to vote or “lose America forever.” This summer, heclaimedthat “separation of church and state does not exist,” andsaidthat the WNBA had a “hatred for Christianity.”
Important message from the Oval Office: Separation of Church and State does not exist. Now it’s on people of faith to stand up and be fearless. https://t.co/1DynZiYksa
Higgins also doesn’t think women should have actual jobs or get abortions.
