Should Kash Patel secure Senate confirmation to lead the FBI, he will face the daunting task of subordinating a bureau of 13,000 agents with personnel actively begging Congress to intervene against the White House’s agenda and whose agents are suing the administration to block its implementation.

When nominating Patel, then-President-elect Donald Trump praised him as the “one guy” who could “make the FBI great again.” Patel’s reputation as a Trump stalwart and vocal critic of the deep state’s career bureaucrats already had FBI agents warning of mass resignations should he enter the post. But now, some seem more inclined to work against the MAGA agenda from within their posts. Patel is expected to eliminate some of the bureau’s top leadership and root out personnel whom he believes have politicized their roles.

The White House’s recent acquisition of data about the agents who worked on Jan. 6 cases in particular has raised concerns that they could seek to axe a large percentage of the bureau’s agents. That data revealed that roughly 5,000 FBI employees were involved in Jan. 6, CNN reported. Trump himself issued a blanket pardon of the roughly 1,600 participants who were convicted or still faced trial.

The episode led the FBI Agents Association and Center for Employment Justice to sue in bids to block any public release of information about the agents under scrutiny. The groups expressed concerns that the employees may face termination or some other form of retaliation.

A memo from acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove that the Associated Press obtained, however, informed agents that those who “simply followed orders” and acted ethically had nothing to fear and their jobs would be safe. 

But a substantive overhaul of the bureau’s practices is unlikely to occur without significant personnel shifts. Amid Patel’s hearings, the Trump team moved to dismiss and demote a large number of the senior personnel, prompting outrage from groups representing federal employees. Some officials were reportedly walked out of the FBI’s Washington Field Office during the exchange.

“These actions, which lack transparency and due process, are creating dangerous distractions, imperiling ongoing investigations, and undermining the Bureau’s ability to work with state, local, and international partners to make America safe again,” the FBI Agents Association wrote to Congress, asking for intervention, according to The Hill.

Independent of the certain legal battle over mass terminations, some FBI agents are sure to resign voluntarily as the executive branch has offered federal employees a buyout to resign by Feb. 6 and receive eight months pay. As of Tuesday, at least 19,000 federal employees had accepted the buyout, though Trump officials indicated the figure was rapidly rising. The breakdown of federal employees by agency has not been made public.

Even after clearing out partisan officials and substantially reorienting the bureau, Patel will still face the daunting task of shedding light on a number of public controversies, such as the bureau’s apparent targeting of conservative-leaning groups, traditional Catholics, pro-life protesters, and other perceived political opponents of the last administration.

House Republicans, especially the Judiciary subcommittee on the weaponization of government, regularly requested documents from the bureau pursuant to myriad investigations only to be rebuffed or ignored. FBI Director Christopher Wray narrowly avoided a contempt of Congress vote after permitting the Oversight Committee to privately view an unclassified document related to its Biden family investigations. Patel vowed during his confirmation hearing in late January that he would restore trust in the FBI in part by curtailing the political weaponization of the bureau and by supporting Congress in its oversight efforts.

“Only 40 percent of Americans hold a favorable view of the FBI," Patel said. "This must change. Public cooperation is vital for the bureau to solve crimes, and its declining reputation is already affecting recruitment efforts."

"Second, transparency is essential. Members of Congress have hundreds of unanswered requests to the FBI," he added. "If confirmed, I will be a strong advocate for congressional oversight, ensuring that the FBI operates with the openness necessary to rebuild trust by simply replying to you."

Patel’s confirmation is expected to be relatively smooth as no Republicans have lined up to oppose him in the way that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth faced a few GOP defectors. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley on Wednesday announced that the panel would hold a vote on advancing his nomination on Thursday, potentially signaling a confirmation vote shortly thereafter.

“Further hearings on his nomination are unnecessary,” Grassley had said on Tuesday. “The Senate Judiciary Committee will not fall for Democrats’ delay tactics."