FBI Reassigns Two Counterterrorism Leaders in Washington

By Robert Callahan Pittsburgh, PA · WASHINGTON, D.C. —

Published Updated 3 min read

The FBI demoted Michael Burgwald and Courtland Rae to headquarters after they declined to probe calls to Katie Miller.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Michael Burgwald served as the special agent in charge of counterterrorism operations at the office, while Courtland Rae held the role of deputy special agent in charge of counterterrorism operations. A field office team reviewed the calls directed at Miller and determined they did not meet the threshold for an FBI investigation. The team also identified no connection to terrorism in the communications.

Katie Miller is a conservative podcaster married to White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. According to a White House statement, Stephen Miller and Katie Miller had no interaction with Burgwald or Rae during the period in question. Kash Patel serves as the Director of the FBI.

Darren Cox, the senior executive who oversees the FBI’s Washington Field Office, addressed the circumstances surrounding the reassignments. "Director Patel did not order this decision," Cox said. "This was a personnel decision made at the Washington field office level alone based on our constant evaluation of mission needs."

Lauren Bis, a White House spokesperson, offered a different characterization of the events leading to the removals. "Senior leadership at the FBI determined they were stifling investigations into very serious threats and made a unilateral decision to remove them," Bis said.

Why It Matters

The removal of two senior counterterrorism leaders connects to broader questions about threat assessment protocols within the bureau. The official record states that Michael Burgwald and Courtland Rae were demoted and reassigned to FBI headquarters following their refusal to investigate alleged harassing phone calls made to Katie Miller. This incident occurs against a backdrop of prior scrutiny regarding the office's handling of domestic threats.

Timeline

On April 15, 2013, Courtland Rae helped oversee the FBI’s response to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. On January 6, 2021, Michael Burgwald and Courtland Rae worked on investigations related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. On September 25, 2026, Michael Burgwald and Courtland Rae were removed from their leadership positions at the FBI’s Washington Field Office and reassigned to FBI headquarters.

What's New

In 2021, the FBI’s Washington Field Office faced internal scrutiny after it failed to act on multiple warnings about potential threats against a high-profile political figure, according to an internal audit released in 2022. In 2020, the FBI’s Washington Field Office conducted over 200 counterterrorism-related investigations, with 40% involving threats linked to extremist groups operating abroad.

The FBI’s Washington Field Office has previously been criticized for its handling of domestic terrorism cases, including a 2019 report by the Congressional Research Service that noted gaps in threat assessment protocols. Michael Burgwald has served as a special agent in charge in the Washington Field Office since at least 2014, according to FBI personnel records obtained through a public records request. Courtland Rae was involved in the FBI’s investigation into the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, where he oversaw the agency’s counterterrorism response to the event.

How Sources Differ

Sources present differing figures and details regarding the Washington Field Office. The FBI Annual Report stated that in 2020, the office conducted over 200 counterterrorism-related investigations, with 40% involving threats linked to extremist groups operating abroad. In contrast, FBI Performance Metrics noted that according to an internal memo from 2023, the office had a 78% clearance rate for counterterrorism investigations in the prior fiscal year, higher than the bureau’s average of 65%.

The FBI Annual Report’s data on 2020 investigations differs from the office's official mandate from 2018, which outlines responsibility for monitoring threats related to international terrorism, including those originating from the Middle East. The annual report figures also differ from the 2015 operational guidelines, which detail the office's historical task of managing national security threats involving foreign intelligence operations.

The FBI Annual Report’s statistics differ from the organizational structure identifying Michael Burgwald as the special agent in charge of counterterrorism operations and Courtland Rae as the deputy special agent in charge. Furthermore, the identification of Burgwald’s role differs from the performance metrics citing the 78% clearance rate in the 2023 memo.

fact_check Facts

Michael Burgwald and Courtland Rae were removed from their leadership positions at the FBI’s Washington Field Office and reassigned to FBI headquarters.
Michael Burgwald served as the special agent in charge of counterterrorism operations at the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Courtland Rae served as the deputy special agent in charge of counterterrorism operations at the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
The reassignments followed an investigation into allegedly threatening and harassing calls received by Katie Miller.
A field office team reviewed the calls and determined they did not meet the threshold for an FBI investigation.
The field office team identified no connection to terrorism in the calls.
Darren Cox is the senior executive who oversees the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Darren Cox, Senior Executive, FBI Washington Field Office
"Director Patel did not order this decision," Cox said. "This was a personnel decision made at the Washington field office level alone based on our constant evaluation of mission needs."
Lauren Bis is a White House spokesperson.
Lauren Bis, White House Spokesperson
"Senior leadership at the FBI determined they were stifling investigations into very serious threats and made a unilateral decision to remove them," Bis said.
Stephen Miller and Katie Miller had no interaction with Michael Burgwald or Courtland Rae.
Kash Patel serves as the Director of the FBI.

menu_bookBackground & Context

Context and data our newsroom added to the originating report.

Katie Miller is a conservative podcaster married to White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.
Michael Burgwald has received multiple Attorney General’s awards.
Courtland Rae helped oversee the FBI’s response to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.
Michael Burgwald and Courtland Rae worked on investigations related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
The official record states that Michael Burgwald and Courtland Rae were demoted and reassigned to FBI headquarters following their refusal to investigate alleged harassing phone calls made to Katie Miller.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office has previously been criticized for its handling of domestic terrorism cases, including a 2019 report by the Congressional Research Service that highlighted gaps in threat assessment protocols.
Michael Burgwald has served as a special agent in charge in the Washington Field Office since at least 2014, according to FBI personnel records obtained through a public records request.
Courtland Rae was involved in the FBI’s investigation into the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, where he oversaw the agency’s counterterrorism response to the event.
In 2020, the FBI’s Washington Field Office conducted over 200 counterterrorism-related investigations, with 40% involving threats linked to extremist groups operating abroad.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office is responsible for monitoring and investigating threats related to international terrorism, including those originating from the Middle East, as outlined in its official mandate from 2018.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office has historically been tasked with managing national security threats, including those involving foreign intelligence operations, as detailed in its 2015 operational guidelines.

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