## Full Report: Brian Driscoll – Background, Firing, and Investigative Role ### Who is Brian Driscoll? Brian Driscoll is a veteran [[FBI]] agent, renowned for his extensive experience in counterterrorism and crisis response. Before his dismissal, [Driscoll](https://www.newsweek.com/fbi-brian-driscoll-forced-out-patel-bongino-2110360): - [Served as acting FBI Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Driscoll) in early 2025 after [[Christopher Wray]]'s departure and before [[Kash Patel]]'s [confirmation](https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/federal-government/in-shake-up-trump-administration-jolts-f-b-i-by-installing-acting-leader/). - Previously commanded the [[FBI]]'s Hostage Rescue Team and was [special agent in charge of the Newark Field Office](https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/07/politics/fbi-fires-senior-officials-at-odds-with-trump-administration). - Recently headed the [Critical Incident Response Group](https://www.newsweek.com/fbi-brian-driscoll-forced-out-patel-bongino-2110360), responsible for [[FBI]] operational responses during [national emergencies](https://www.livenowfox.com/news/brian-driscoll-fbi-fired). ### Why Was Brian Driscoll Fired? Driscoll was forced out of the [[FBI]] on [[August 7, 2025]], during a large-scale leadership purge under Director [[Kash Patel]] and Deputy Director [[Dan Bongino]]. The immediate cause cited by multiple sources was Driscoll's resistance to pressure from the Trump administration to disclose the names of [[FBI]] agents involved in the [[January 6, 2021]], Capitol riot investigations. Instead of handing over names, he advocated supplying anonymized identification via employee numbers, drawing [accusations of "insubordination"](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/07/us/politics/trump-fbi.html) from senior [Department of Justice](https://www.livenowfox.com/news/brian-driscoll-fbi-fired) [officials](https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/07/politics/fbi-fires-senior-officials-at-odds-with-trump-administration). This internal dissent led to sustained tension, and Driscoll, among several other high-ranking officials perceived as not aligned with the Trump administration's directives, was told to leave. The reasons for his firing publicly remain officially vague, but are widely understood to be linked to his defense of agency independence and refusal to participate in what many described as a [retaliatory personnel purge](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/04/us/politics/fbi-director-brian-driscoll-trump-justice-department.html) targeting those involved in the [J6 investigations](https://www.livenowfox.com/news/brian-driscoll-fbi-fired).  ### Was Driscoll Named in the Durham or Mueller Reports? - **Durham Report:** No public evidence indicates Brian Driscoll is named in the [Durham Report](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/). Searches and summaries of the report do not reveal his name in connection with its findings on [[FBI]] activities regarding the Trump-Russia probe. - **Mueller Report:** There is no record of Brian Driscoll being mentioned in the [Mueller Report](https://www.politifact.com/article/2019/apr/18/mueller-report-what-you-need-know/) on Russian interference and obstruction of justice. His name does not surface in key findings or as a central figure in the investigation. ### Driscoll's Bosses and Chain of Command - When acting director, Driscoll's superior was nominally the Attorney General and later [Acting Deputy Attorney General](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Driscoll) [[Emil Bove]], a Trump ally who issued directives to [remove J6 investigators](https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-situation--the-fbi-director-can-t-be-a-liar). - After [[Kash Patel]]'s confirmation as [[FBI]] Director, Driscoll reported to him and Deputy Director [[Dan Bongino]]. ### Involvement in January 6 Cases Driscoll played a pivotal leadership role during the period of internal [[FBI]] review of agents who worked on J6 cases. He resisted publishing the names of thousands of [[FBI]] agents who contributed to those investigations, instead [protecting their identities](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/07/us/politics/trump-fbi.html). This stance significantly [contributed to his forced departure](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Driscoll). ### References in OIG Reports No publicly available documents or OIG (Office of Inspector General) reports show Brian Driscoll as a principal subject. His tenure and actions are recent, so a delayed inclusion in OIG findings is possible, but none appear as of August 2025 in searches or congressional oversight materials. ### Congressional Testimony There is no record of Driscoll testifying directly before Congress as either a witness or a subject of congressional hearings as of August 2025. He is, however, mentioned in [correspondence from congressional committees](https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/services/files/BC6BDE6B-AA43-4D5C-8B05-D079DA491600) regarding the J6 investigations and data preservation practices during his acting directorship. **Summary Table** |Topic|Driscoll's Connection| |---|---| |Background|Career [[FBI]] agent, led Hostage Rescue Team and Newark Field Office, acted as [[FBI]] Director (Jan–Feb 2025)| |Firing Reason|Refused Trump administration demand to disclose [[FBI]] agent names from J6 probe, accused of insubordination, part of larger purge| |Durham/Mueller Reports|Name does not appear in either report| |Bosses|Attorney General/Acting Deputy AG [[Emil Bove]], then [[Kash Patel]] ([[FBI]] Director), [[Dan Bongino]] (Deputy Dir.)| |J6 Involvement|Led internal response, resisted exposure of agent identities, advocated anonymization| |OIG Reports|No direct appearance in public OIG reports as of August 2025| |Congressional Testimony|Not known to have testified; mentioned in congressional correspondence regarding [[FBI]] process management post-J6| Driscoll's forced removal is widely seen as symbolic of a [politicized campaign](https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/maddow-blog-personnel-purge-fbi-154118543.html) to purge the [[FBI]] of officials previously involved in investigations perceived as hostile to [[Donald Trump]].