The Federal Bureau of Investigation is going through an unprecedented internal metamorphosis, characterized by mass polygraph examinations aimed at checking employees' loyalty to the current leadership.
According to a New York Times investigation, the agency's leadership is introducing systematic checks that far exceed standard security procedures. Employees from various levels have been subjected to intensive interrogations, whose sole purpose seems to be establishing their unconditional support.
The case of Michael Feinberg, a regional office director, who was threatened with a polygraph test due to friendship with another employee, is indicative. Feinberg claims he was forced to "beg and swear loyalty" to keep his job.
The statistics are eloquent - about 40% of regional directors have been transferred, fired, or left during Patel's management. This mass migration creates an atmosphere of constant fear and uncertainty among employees.
The FBI leadership, represented by Patel and Bondgino, rejects the criticisms, calling them "absurd". They only acknowledge conducting "dramatic human resource changes and comprehensive organizational reform".
Patel demonstrates exceptional sensitivity to his public image, confirmed by a series of lawsuits against critics. He filed a lawsuit against a former employee who accused him of spending more time in clubs than in the office.
Experts warn that such practices create a corporate culture based on fear and ideological filtration. They emphasize that an FBI agent's loyalty should be to the Constitution, not to specific leaders.
Polygraph tests, traditionally used to check security, now become an instrument of political pressure. The questions asked to employees are directed not so much at revealing threats as at measuring their unconditional support.
This unprecedented approach raises serious questions about the independence of one of the most important investigative agencies in the US and the risk of its politicization.