FBI supervisor scrambles after 'career ending' praise for anti-Trump agent: report

An FBI supervisor scrambled to retract her praise for a departing Chicago agent after the bureau branded him disloyal to President Donald Trump, a move a former agent warned could cost her career.

FBI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan accidentally forwarded the resignation email of Chicago Special Agent in Charge Douglas DePodesta to her entire Detroit division, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. In it, she called DePodesta someone who "will always be a part of the FBI Detroit family."

The FBI's official Rapid Response account on X had already weighed in on his departure:

"It's simple: Anyone who is not on board with THIS FBI under the leadership of President Trump — which has achieved the lowest murder rate ever — is free to leave," the FBI statement said.

Kyle Seraphin, a former FBI agent once touted by Republicans as a whistleblower after his security clearance was suspended under former President Joe Biden, called out the FBI statement on X.

Seraphin had asked the bureau about DePodesta's departure. The Chicago Field Office told him in writing that it was FBI policy not to comment on personnel matters — then the bureau's own social media account did exactly that.

"The FBI does not comment on personnel matters," Seraphin wrote on X. "Except when they do."

The next morning, Runyan walked back her praise.

"Yesterday, I forwarded out SAC DePodesta's email without reading it fully and understanding the full context. It was a mistake on my part, and I should have demonstrated better discretion on what I communicate," Runyan wrote, as posted by Seraphin.

DePodesta's last day is Monday, July 6.

Seraphin warned that under FBI Director Kash Patel, such mistakes have had "career ending consequences."