FBI Counterterrorism Leaders Removed After Disputes Over Threat Investigation
Two FBI counterterrorism leaders demoted after disputes over investigating threatening calls to Katie Miller, wife of Stephen Miller.
POLICY WIRE — Washington, D.C. — Two senior FBI counterterrorism officials have been reassigned following internal disputes over the agency’s handling of an investigation into alleged threatening phone calls directed at Katie Miller, a conservative podcaster and spouse of White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.
Michael Burgwald, head of the Washington Field Office’s counterterrorism division, and his deputy, Courtland Rae, were moved to bureau headquarters on Friday, according to Bloomberg Law. Both had extensive national security experience, including involvement in the January 6th, 2021, Capitol attack investigation.
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The decision not to pursue the alleged harassment calls led to tension within the FBI, with sources indicating that some leadership believed the matter warranted further scrutiny. A former official noted that such calls typically fall outside the scope of terrorism unless directly linked to a known terrorist. The White House has stated that the Miller family has never interacted with the affected agents, while the FBI emphasized the move was made locally based on operational needs.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
