Five FBI Analysts Fired Over Richmond Memo on Catholic Extremist Ideology

The FBI has fired at least five analysts who helped draft the withdrawn 2023 Richmond memo scrutinizing links between violent extremists and Radical Traditionalist Catholic ideology; an internal review found procedural errors and judgment issues but no malicious intent, with corrective actions and admonishments issued. A separate DOJ inspector general review found no evidence of orders to tie specific religions to extremism or of discriminatory conduct. The firings come amid political pushback from Trump allies who say the memo signals anti-Christian bias, and tie the memo to broader debates about FBI bias; the case fits into a slate of personnel changes at the bureau during the Trump era.