The top official at the FBI New York Field Office was forced to retire on Monday, sources confirmed to Fox News Digital.
James Dennehy was appointed to the position by former FBI Director Christopher Wray in September 2024.
He shared the news of his departure with colleagues in an email Monday, obtained by Fox News Digital.
He said that he had been informed late Friday that he would need to put in his retirement papers. “I was not given a reason for this decision,” Dennehy said.
FBI RAIDS HOMES OF TOP AIDES FOR NEW YORK CITY MAYOR ERIC ADAMS
“Regardless, I apologize to all of you for not being able to fulfill my commitment to you to serve as ADIC NY for at least two years.
“But as I leave today, I have an immense feeling of pride – to have represented an office of professionals who will always do the right thing for the right reasons; who will always seek the truth while upholding the rule of law; who will always follow the facts no matter where they lead and be unapologetic about it; who will never bend, break, falter, or quit on your integrity; who will always handle cases and evidence with an overabundance of caution and care for the innocent, the victims, and the process first; and who will always remain independent,” he added.
Dennehy provided a top 10 list of things he would miss about working for the FBI, though his commute was not one of them.
Among the items on his list were the investigations, the intensity, the FBI brand, the camaraderie, the badge, the independence and everyone he worked with.
“I’ve been told many times in my life, ‘When you find yourself in a hole, sometimes it’s best to quit digging,’” he wrote.
“Screw that. I will never stop defending this joint. I’ll just do it willingly and proudly from outside the wire,” he said.
Dennehy’s departure is the latest in a series of oustings under President Donald Trump’s new administration.
News of his departure, which comes shortly after the confirmation of FBI Director Kash Patel, and deputy director Dan Bongino, is likely to touch off new fears of politicalization within the bureau.
Dennehy, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, joined the FBI shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2002, and received numerous awards during his more than two decades as a special agent.
His prolific career included numerous promotions and management positions, including recent promotions to serve in the FBI’s Washington, D.C., headquarters under the first Trump administration, and as head of the FBI’s Newark Field Office and its New York City Field Office, respectively.
Most recently, Dennehy was in the spotlight for publicly sparring with the Trump administration over a questionnaire sent to thousands of FBI personnel asking them to detail their role in the sprawling Jan. 6 Capitol riot investigations.
Bureau personnel had cited fears of retaliation and political retribution for their roles, and Dennehy was among the bureau employees who had urged his colleagues to “dig in” to protect the FBI’s independence from outside interference.
He also played a key role in the investigation into New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who was indicted on criminal corruption charges last fall before the Justice Department abruptly moved to dismiss the case last month.
The presiding judge in the case, U.S. District Judge Dale Ho, has not yet granted the DOJ’s request, and instead tasked an outside lawyer, Paul Clement, to advise him on the matter.
The departure comes just days after Attorney General Pam Bondi suggested the FBI’s New York Field Office was responsible for withholding thousands of pages of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein.
Bondi sent a scathing letter to Patel last week demanding answers as to why the documents were not made available sooner, and had since vowed to fire the person responsible.
It is not clear whether Dennehy had any role in the investigation, or whether his retirement was related in any way to those documents.
In his farewell note to colleagues Monday, Dennehy said he is leaving with an “immense feeling of pride” to have represented an office of professionals who will always do the right thing for the right reasons” and “who will always seek the truth while upholding the rule of law…”
He added: “We will not bend. We will not falter. We will not sacrifice what is right for anything or anyone.”
The top official at the FBI New York Field Office was forced to retire on Monday, sources confirmed to Fox News Digital.
James Dennehy was appointed to the position by former FBI Director Christopher Wray in September 2024.
He shared the news of his departure with colleagues in an email Monday, obtained by Fox News Digital.
He said that he had been informed late Friday that he would need to put in his retirement papers. “I was not given a reason for this decision,” Dennehy said.
FBI RAIDS HOMES OF TOP AIDES FOR NEW YORK CITY MAYOR ERIC ADAMS
“Regardless, I apologize to all of you for not being able to fulfill my commitment to you to serve as ADIC NY for at least two years.
“But as I leave today, I have an immense feeling of pride – to have represented an office of professionals who will always do the right thing for the right reasons; who will always seek the truth while upholding the rule of law; who will always follow the facts no matter where they lead and be unapologetic about it; who will never bend, break, falter, or quit on your integrity; who will always handle cases and evidence with an overabundance of caution and care for the innocent, the victims, and the process first; and who will always remain independent,” he added.
Dennehy provided a top 10 list of things he would miss about working for the FBI, though his commute was not one of them.
Among the items on his list were the investigations, the intensity, the FBI brand, the camaraderie, the badge, the independence and everyone he worked with.
“I’ve been told many times in my life, ‘When you find yourself in a hole, sometimes it’s best to quit digging,’” he wrote.
“Screw that. I will never stop defending this joint. I’ll just do it willingly and proudly from outside the wire,” he said.
Dennehy’s departure is the latest in a series of oustings under President Donald Trump’s new administration.
News of his departure, which comes shortly after the confirmation of FBI Director Kash Patel, and deputy director Dan Bongino, is likely to touch off new fears of politicalization within the bureau.
Dennehy, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, joined the FBI shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2002, and received numerous awards during his more than two decades as a special agent.
His prolific career included numerous promotions and management positions, including recent promotions to serve in the FBI’s Washington, D.C., headquarters under the first Trump administration, and as head of the FBI’s Newark Field Office and its New York City Field Office, respectively.
Most recently, Dennehy was in the spotlight for publicly sparring with the Trump administration over a questionnaire sent to thousands of FBI personnel asking them to detail their role in the sprawling Jan. 6 Capitol riot investigations.
Bureau personnel had cited fears of retaliation and political retribution for their roles, and Dennehy was among the bureau employees who had urged his colleagues to “dig in” to protect the FBI’s independence from outside interference.
He also played a key role in the investigation into New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who was indicted on criminal corruption charges last fall before the Justice Department abruptly moved to dismiss the case last month.
The presiding judge in the case, U.S. District Judge Dale Ho, has not yet granted the DOJ’s request, and instead tasked an outside lawyer, Paul Clement, to advise him on the matter.
The departure comes just days after Attorney General Pam Bondi suggested the FBI’s New York Field Office was responsible for withholding thousands of pages of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein.
Bondi sent a scathing letter to Patel last week demanding answers as to why the documents were not made available sooner, and had since vowed to fire the person responsible.
It is not clear whether Dennehy had any role in the investigation, or whether his retirement was related in any way to those documents.
In his farewell note to colleagues Monday, Dennehy said he is leaving with an “immense feeling of pride” to have represented an office of professionals who will always do the right thing for the right reasons” and “who will always seek the truth while upholding the rule of law…”
He added: “We will not bend. We will not falter. We will not sacrifice what is right for anything or anyone.”
