I became a special agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2000, and over the following years, I saw the bureau transform. Before the Sept. 11 attacks, it was focused primarily on its criminal work — such as uncovering mafia activity, investigating violent and white-collar crime and rooting out drug trafficking — and was arguably distracted from the threat by Al Qaeda that had taken root in the United States. But after that terrible day, under Robert Mueller’s leadership, the F.B.I. evolved quickly, bolstering its national security work to better prevent terrorist attacks, its top priority.
I left the F.B.I. last year, having held multiple leadership roles overseeing counterterrorism and criminal investigations. I was pushed out of my post along with seven other senior executives. The bureau remains strong, thanks to the talented and dedicated men and women serving in it, but the ousters of dozens of experienced people since President Trump took office — some of whom handled threats from Iran — demonstrate a dangerous fact about the current leadership.
