Two senior supervisors from the FBI’s counterterrorism division have been reassigned following a dispute related to an investigation into alleged harassing phone calls aimed at the spouse of Stephen Miller, the deputy chief of staff at the White House. The decision to reassign the supervisors comes after multiple sources with knowledge of the situation provided insights to MS NOW. Details surrounding the nature of the dispute and the specific reasons for the reassignments have not been fully disclosed, but the incident highlights ongoing tensions within the FBI regarding sensitive investigations involving high-profile government officials.
Michael Burgwald, the special agent in charge of counterterrorism operations at the FBI’s Washington field office, and Courtland Rae, his assistant, both possess extensive backgrounds in national security matters. The FBI acknowledged the reassignments on Saturday.
Burgwald, a West Point alumnus, received recognition in 2016 for his contributions to a counterterrorism investigation. Both individuals played roles in examining the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack. However, these sources, speaking anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the information, said that the decisive moment occurred when the Washington field office’s counterterrorism division was tasked with evaluating threats posed by an individual suspected of making harassing calls to Miller’s spouse, Katie Miller , a prominent conservative media personality.
Including former FBI leadership with knowledge of the situation, Burgwald had previously created friction with FBI Director Kash Patel through multiple disagreements, according to sources. The FBI’s internal response to the unconventional request was marked by disapproval, according to the sources. “Harassing phone calls aren’t even in the ballpark of terrorism unless an actual terrorist is doing the dialing,” explained one retired FBI official with knowledge of the situation.
Rae participated in the Boston Marathon bombing investigation. Darren Cox, who serves as assistant director overseeing the FBI’s Washington field office, maintained that the directive to demote the two experienced FBI agents did not come from senior leadership. Darren informed MS NOW that the demotions were a “personnel decision made at the Washington field office level alone based on our constant evaluation of mission needs. Following these actions, the two agents have been reassigned to headquarters, as per MS NOW.
