The Trump administration has ordered the US Justice Department to launched a sweeping purge of the FBI, targeting officials involved in past investigations of President Donald Trump and the January 6 Capitol riot.

Reports in US media on Friday indicated dozens of Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) agents, including senior officials, are being evaluated for removal, with some ordered to resign or face termination.

Top officials across various FBI offices and headquarters were ordered to leave or face termination earlier in the week, according to the Washington Post. 

The newspaper also reported that at least 30 federal prosecutors who had worked on Capitol riot cases have already been dismissed. 

The moves follow Trump's mass pardons of over 1,500 individuals charged in connection with the January 6 US Capitol riot, including those convicted of violent crimes.

Government signals change

A memo from Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, seen by various media outlets, ordered the FBI to compile a list of all prosecutors and agents involved in in the Capitol riot investigation. 

Bove said that this precedes a "review process to determine whether any additional personnel actions are necessary" vowing not to "tolerate subversive personnel actions by the previous administration."

On Monday, the Justice Department fired a number of officials who were involved in the now-abandoned criminal charges against Trump.

Meanwhile, in a letter to the staff, acting FBI Director Brian Driscoll said that the aim is to "follow the law, follow FBI policy, and do what's in the best interest of the workforce and the American people."

Trump claims FBI 'weaponized' against him

The development comes after the resignation of FBI Director Christopher Wray, whom Trump replaced with Kash Patel, a close ally.

During his Senate confirmation hearing, Patel denied knowledge of any planned terminations but vowed to protect FBI employees from political retribution. 

Trump has long claimed the FBI was "weaponized" against him, particularly during the Russia probe and his legal battles over the 2020 election.

On Friday, when questioned about the move, Trump said the FBI was "weaponized at a level that nobody's never seen before." 

"If they fired some people over there, that's a good thing, because they were very bad."

'Major blow to the FBI'

Democrat Senator Dick Durbin, called the potential firings "a major blow to the FBI and Justice Department's integrity and effectiveness."

"Unelected Trump lackeys are carrying out widespread political retribution against our nation's career law enforcement officials," he said.

The FBI Agents Association condemned the move, warning that firing hundreds of agents would weaken national security and undermine law enforcement. 

It was not immediately clear what recourse any fired agent might take.

ss/wmr (AP, AFP, Reuters)