James Dennehy, the head of the FBI’s New York field office, has retired after being directed to step down. He informed his colleagues of the decision in a message, saying he was told to submit his retirement papers but was not given a reason. His departure comes at a time of major changes within the FBI, following the appointment of Kash Patel as the new FBI Director and Dan Bongino as the Deputy Director.
Dennehy was known for resisting Justice Department efforts to scrutinize agents involved in politically sensitive investigations, particularly those related to the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. In January, the Justice Department asked the FBI to provide a list of thousands of agents involved in those investigations, leading to concerns about potential mass firings. Dennehy opposed this move and previously stated he was ready to “dig in” against it.
In his farewell message, Dennehy expressed his strong commitment to the FBI, saying, “I will never stop defending this place. I’ll just do it from outside now.” He also highlighted the independence of the FBI as something he would miss, emphasizing the importance of standing firm and doing what is right.
His retirement follows recent tensions between the FBI and Attorney General Pam Bondi. Last week, Bondi accused the FBI’s New York office of withholding documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. She ordered the FBI to release all files and instructed Patel to investigate why her directive had not been followed.
Dennehy had a long career in the FBI, starting as a special agent in New York in 2002. Over the years, he took on key roles, including working in counterintelligence and cyber investigations. He also served in Washington, D.C., as a section chief and later as chief of staff in the national security branch. Before leading the New York office, he was the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Newark, New Jersey, field office.
The FBI has not commented on Dennehy’s retirement, and the Justice Department has not responded to requests for a statement. His departure marks another major shift within the agency under the new leadership of Patel and Bongino.
