A federal judge has rejected a lawsuit filed by FBI agents who accused the Trump administration of political targeting following the January 6 Capitol riot and the Mar‑a‑Lago classified document investigation.
U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb dismissed the case on Thursday in Washington, stating the agents had not shown that the Department of Justice faced any “imminent threat” of releasing their identities, making their claims too “speculative” to proceed.
The lawsuit—crafted anonymously by special agents nicknamed “John Does”—sought to block a Justice Department effort to compile a list of individuals involved in both high-profile probes. The agents expressed fear that public disclosure could expose them to retribution from former January 6 rioters, particularly following pardons granted by former President Trump.
The FBI Agents Association, one of the plaintiffs, criticized the ruling, calling it disappointing and vowed to consider an appeal. Their legal team had warned that releasing identifying information would endanger the safety of agents and their families .
During the lawsuit, the DOJ had emphasized that merely compiling agency data does not imply any immediate intent to make it public. They also noted that agents who follow their assignments would not face disciplinary action.
The Justice Department is currently conducting an internal review of possible misconduct associated with the January 6 investigation—an exercise that has resulted in over 1,500 prosecutions—but has made no announcement indicating that they will release the list of agents involved.
Proponents of the privacy argument say the judge’s decision highlights ongoing tensions within the federal system, particularly around perceived politicization of career law enforcement personnel.
