Two FBI agents ousted over investigation into harassing calls to Stephen Miller’s wife, and now many rank and file FBI employees are riled up

Two veteran FBI agents who held high-level roles in the Washington Field Office have been removed from their positions and reassigned, Denver7 reports. This move comes after bureau leadership reviewed their handling of an investigation involving Katie Miller, a conservative podcaster and the wife of senior White House adviser Stephen Miller.

Michael Burgwald, who served as the special agent in charge of counterterrorism, and his deputy, Courtland Rae, were the two officials ousted. The situation stems from a series of harassing phone calls that Katie Miller received from unknown individuals.

After the field office team reviewed the reports, they determined the calls did not meet the necessary threshold for an FBI investigation, citing that there was no clear nexus to terrorism. While this was the conclusion reached by the field office, it evidently did not align with the expectations of bureau leadership.

The fallout from this decision has left many rank-and-file FBI employees feeling frustrated

There is a growing sense among staff that these types of personnel moves are becoming increasingly politicized. Burgwald, for instance, is a graduate of the United States Military Academy West Point and has received various investigative awards during his tenure. Rae also built a lengthy career in national security before reaching his senior position.

The timing of this incident is particularly sensitive given the current climate at the agency. Since taking office last year, FBI director Kash Patel has been actively reshaping the bureau. He has fired, demoted, or forced into retirement many career employees who were involved in past investigations into President Donald Trump and his allies. Many of those who were forced out have since filed lawsuits, hoping to regain their positions.

Darren Cox, the senior executive who oversees the Washington office, addressed the situation through an official FBI Rapid Response social media account. He confirmed that Burgwald and Rae were removed but pushed back against the idea that the order originated from the director. “This was a personnel decision made at the Washington field office level alone based on our constant evaluation of mission needs,” Cox said. He added, “Any suggestion otherwise is false.”

The White House has a different take on the matter. In a statement provided by spokesperson Lauren Bis, the administration claimed that the Millers had no direct interaction with either agent. “Senior leadership at the FBI determined they were stifling investigations into very serious threats and made a unilateral decision to remove them,” the statement noted.

This is not the first time the Millers have been at odds with the FBI over how their personal security concerns are handled. Last year, the couple reportedly expressed significant frustration with career agents who refused to dedicate bureau resources toward investigating paper flyers that were critical of Stephen Miller in their neighborhood. The couple eventually moved into military housing, a choice made by several senior officials in the current administration.