FBI Demotes Counterterrorism Officials Over Katie Miller Threat Probe
The FBI demoted and reassigned two senior counterterrorism officials after they declined to investigate threatening phone calls targeting the wife of White House aide Stephen Miller.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation demoted and reassigned Michael Burgwald, the special agent in charge of counterterrorism at the Washington Field Office, and his deputy, Courtland Rae, to bureau headquarters on Friday. The personnel action followed a dispute over the handling of an investigation into harassing and threatening phone calls targeting Katie Miller, the wife of senior White House aide Stephen Miller.
Field office investigators had determined the calls did not meet the threshold for an FBI investigation and lacked a nexus to terrorism. However, senior leadership disagreed with this conclusion. White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis stated that the officials were removed for stifling investigations into serious threats, including a documented campaign of stalking and doxing targeting the Miller residence.
While FBI Director Kash Patel expressed dissatisfaction with the investigation, Washington field office chief Darren Cox denied that Patel ordered the reassignments. Cox characterized the move as a local personnel decision based on mission needs. The removals have caused friction among rank-and-file FBI employees who view recent personnel changes under Patel as highly politicized. Former law enforcement officials noted that the transfers remove significant counterterrorism experience from the Washington office.
