'Corrupt' FBI must become 'pristine,' Trump says, asserting Patel will 'straighten it out'

President Donald Trump connected Monday slammed the FBI arsenic "corrupt" and praised his nominee for FBI director, Kash Patel, arsenic the antheral to "straighten it out" arsenic helium declined to reply questions implicit whether his medication volition region bureau employees progressive successful the probe into the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot. 

Asked Monday by Fox News whether helium believed anyone progressive successful the Jan. 6 probe should beryllium fired, Trump did not reply outright. Instead, helium criticized the actions of a bureau helium has repeatedly decried arsenic "corrupt," and 1 helium insists has targeted him specifically.

"I deliberation the FBI was a precise corrupt institution, and I'm a unfortunate of it successful the existent sense," Trump told Fox News portion addressing reporters Monday astatine the Oval Office. He besides added that helium believes the bureau's estimation has been "damaged badly, arsenic has the DOJ's."

"But you cognize what, we person to person pristine, beautiful, cleanable instrumentality enforcement," Trump said.

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U.S. Capitol Police officers basal ticker extracurricular the US Capitol gathering arsenic snowfall falls up of a associated league of Congress to certify the results of the 2024 Presidential predetermination connected Jan. 6, 2025, successful Washington, DC.  (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

"We person to bring the estimation of the FBI not adjacent [back] to what it was— adjacent amended than it ever was," Trump said. "But Kash has to beryllium the 1 to bash it," helium added. "Kash volition straighten it out."

Trump's remarks travel days aft Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove directed the acting FBI manager to terminate 8 FBI employees and place each existent and erstwhile bureau unit assigned to the Jan. 6 and Hamas cases for an interior review. 

"I bash not judge that the existent enactment of the Justice Department tin spot these FBI employees to assistance successful implementing the President’s docket faithfully," Bove wrote successful the memo, instructing that the 8 employees beryllium fired by Monday, Feb. 3, astatine 5:30 p.m.

Former FBI and Justice Department officials warned successful interviews with Fox News Digital that specified firings, while wrong Trump's authority, could person a chilling effect connected the remainder of the bureau should the medication determination to get escaped of the unit progressive successful the Jan. 6 investigations. 

The Trump medication has not yet said if it volition determination to instrumentality enactment against the individuals involved. 

But caller concerns were raised aft Bove sent a 12-page questionnaire to FBI unit crossed the state asking them to item their engagement successful the Jan. 6 investigations, noting that the section would statesman a "review process to find whether immoderate further unit actions are necessary."

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President Donald Trump talks to reporters from the Resolute Desk aft signing an enforcement bid to name the lawman head of the Federal Aviation Administration successful the Oval Office astatine the White House connected Jah. 30, 2025 successful Washington, DC.  (Getty Images)

The remarks travel aft Trump, successful his 2nd word arsenic president, moved to instantly contented a broad pardon and condemnation commutation for each 1,600 transgression defendants successful the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, whom helium has repeatedly referred to arsenic "hostages."

Since taking office, Trump has besides fired the inspectors wide of 17 abstracted national agencies, fired much than a twelve prosecutors progressive successful the peculiar counsel investigations led by Jack Smith, and ordered much than fractional a twelve FBI officials to either resign oregon discontinue from their posts oregon beryllium fired.  

Combined, the actions person sparked caller fears that the FBI could spot the ousting of decades of expertise from wrong the bureau's ranks, including employees well-versed successful detecting and responding to counterterrorism threats, organized and convulsive crime, cause trafficking, and more.

DOJ DIRECTS FBI TO FIRE 8 TOP OFFICIALS, IDENTIFY EMPLOYEES INVOLVED IN JAN. 6, HAMAS CASES FOR REVIEW

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Others noted that the Jan. 6 probe was primitively launched nether the Trump medication – a item that the president and immoderate of his supporters neglect to notation successful their predominant criticisms against it.

"We're successful an highly precarious clip close now, successful a precise chaotic world," 1 erstwhile Justice Department authoritative said successful an interview. "The coercion beforehand is arsenic concerning arsenic I've seen it, ever. So it doesn't marque consciousness to maine wherefore we'd beryllium taking a nutrient cleaver to agencies that support against that."

Fox News Digital's Brooke Singman, David Spunt, Jake Gibson and Louis Casiano contributed to this report.