FBI Director Patel Purges Leadership After Arctic Frost Scandal Exposed [WATCH]

FBI Director Kash Patel has reportedly removed one of the senior agents who led the controversial “Operation Arctic Frost” investigation into President Donald Trump.

The move follows recent disclosures from Senate Republicans detailing the scope of the Biden-era probe, which targeted President Trump, his associates, and multiple conservative organizations.

According to reports from MSNBC, Patel has ousted Aaron Tapp, a Special Agent in Charge who led the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office and played a central role in the Arctic Frost operation.

New: Two people familiar with the matter tell @CarolLeonnig and me that FBI Director Kash Patel is forcing out the special agent in charge in San Antonio, whose name appeared in documents recently released by Senate Republicans detailing the “Arctic Frost” investigation into…

— Ken Dilanian (@DilanianMSNBC) October 30, 2025

Tapp has served with the FBI for more than two decades and described himself on his LinkedIn profile as a “Senior FBI Executive with more than twenty-seven years of combined experience leading people, conducting and supervising complex investigations.”

He also wrote that he was “a natural collaborator focused on building and motivating cross-functional and integrated teams who consistently achieve excellence.”

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“Driver of organizational and cultural change through innovation, transparency, communication and partnership,” Tapp’s profile stated.

“Currently leading the FBI San Antonio Field Office.”

The Arctic Frost investigation began in April 2022 under the Biden Justice Department and was launched in connection with the 2020 alternate electors dispute.

The operation involved seizing government-issued cell phones belonging to both Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence and conducting numerous interviews across multiple states.

The probe reportedly examined hundreds of individuals and organizations linked to the 2020 election.

ARCTIC FROST LEADERS STILL AT FBI

The personnel actions thus far are only a solid start.

The below were promoted to lead offices:

Aaron Tapp (@FBISanAntonio)
James Barnacle (@FBICharlotte)
Joe Rothrock (@FBIDallas)
Devin Kowalski (@FBISanJuan)
Wayne Jacobs (@FBIPhiladelphia) pic.twitter.com/zDhXxm2984

— Oversight Project (@ItsYourGov) October 29, 2025

Senate Republicans have accused the Justice Department of using Arctic Frost to target political opponents. Newly released documents referenced by Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley indicate that the investigation went far beyond individual cases.

Grassley revealed that former Special Counsel Jack Smith, who oversaw portions of the operation, issued an extensive number of subpoenas during the investigation.

“I’ve obtained through legally protected whistleblower disclosures,” Grassley said Wednesday, “197 subpoenas were issued by Jack Smith and his team. These subpoenas were issued to 34 individuals and 163 businesses, including financial institutions.”

Grassley said the investigation had “targeted the entire Republican apparatus,” including conservative groups such as Turning Point USA and the Republican Attorneys General Association.

Grassley’s office also confirmed that the Senate Judiciary Committee has received whistleblower materials documenting extensive surveillance activity and information requests directed at right-leaning organizations and donors.

The committee is now reviewing whether federal agencies exceeded their legal authority under the Biden-Harris administration.

Patel’s decision to remove Tapp comes shortly after those disclosures were made public.

Senate Republicans have said that Tapp appeared in internal documents connected to the Arctic Frost operation, though the FBI has not issued an official statement about his departure.

President Trump addressed the matter Wednesday evening, calling for investigations into officials and prosecutors involved in both Arctic Frost and the earlier Russia collusion probe.

“Former FBI Agent Walter Giardina is a DIRTY COP! He should be, along with Deranged Jack Smith, the sinister team of Lisa Monaco and Andrew Weissmann, Liddle’ Jay Bratt, Norm Eisen and his FAKE Charity, CREW, Christopher Wray, Merrick Garland, Thomas Windom, who dreamt up the corrupt J-6 Witch Hunt, should be investigated, immediately,” Trump said in a post to his Truth Social account.

“They are a disgrace to our Nation. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” he added.

The Justice Department has not commented publicly on the removal of Aaron Tapp or on the current status of Operation Arctic Frost.

Patel’s leadership team at the FBI has reportedly been conducting an internal review of high-profile investigations launched prior to his tenure to determine whether any agents engaged in misconduct or politically motivated activity.

The Arctic Frost probe remains one of several overlapping investigations carried out between 2020 and 2023 that have faced criticism from congressional Republicans for alleged bias in federal law enforcement.