The FBI has reassigned several agents who were photographed kneeling during a George Floyd protest in 2020, part of a broader effort by President Donald Trump’s administration to root out ideological bias and politicization within the federal government’s most powerful institutions.

The move, which has sparked predictable outrage from left-leaning media and former bureaucrats, comes as part of a sweeping review of past behavior by over 1,500 FBI employees whose cases have raised red flags under the Trump administration’s ongoing push for accountability in federal law enforcement.

CNN, which reported the reassignments with its typical slant, claimed the action bypassed “typical disciplinary process.” One former FBI official told the network the move was “disgusting,” insisting the agents had done nothing wrong by kneeling during a protest that, at times, turned violent and resulted in nationwide unrest.

But for the Trump administration and new FBI Director Kash Patel, the symbolism of kneeling in uniform amid civil unrest raised serious concerns about the impartiality and professionalism of federal agents. It also further cemented public perception that institutions like the FBI were caving to left-wing social movements rather than maintaining their sworn neutrality.

The incident in question took place in Washington, D.C., during the height of the summer 2020 protests, which followed the death of George Floyd. The agents had reportedly been deployed to protect federal buildings and monuments, and were confronted by protesters demanding symbolic gestures of solidarity. A group of FBI agents responded by kneeling—an act widely associated with the Black Lives Matter movement and seen by many as politically charged.

FBI officials at the time reportedly conducted an internal review and found no policy violations. But under new leadership and a new administration, the standards for neutrality are being re-evaluated.

In February, Director Patel promised that under his leadership, the FBI would no longer operate under a “two-tier system of justice,” vowing instead to enforce a “singular system of justice for all Americans.”

“I promise you the following — there will be accountability within the FBI and outside of the FBI,” Patel declared. “We will do it through rigorous constitutional oversight.”

Sources inside the bureau say agents involved in high-profile, politically sensitive cases—including the Mar-a-Lago search and investigations into January 6—have also been placed under review, with potential disciplinary actions or reassignments looming for those found to have acted outside the bounds of professional neutrality.

The goal, administration insiders say, is to ensure that political agendas do not infect what should be objective investigations.

While critics have accused the administration of politicizing the agency by targeting those who served under previous leadership, Trump officials say this is simply course correction after years of lopsided enforcement and selective prosecution that discredited the bureau in the eyes of millions of Americans.

“The American people lost trust in the FBI because of overt displays like this,” one senior official said, referring to the kneeling incident. “If you want to protest, do it on your own time. But when you wear the badge, you represent all Americans—not a political cause.”

The latest wave of reassignments is expected to be just the beginning, with Patel and Trump’s Justice Department conducting a full review of cases that were seen as politically motivated or improperly handled.

Among the actions already taken: multiple senior FBI leaders have been dismissed or reassigned, funding for politically driven trainings has been slashed, and top officials have been warned that agency neutrality will be enforced with zero tolerance.

The message from the Trump administration is clear: Federal agents are public servants—not activists.

And for those who forgot that, their time in Washington is running out.