Ex-FBI Agent Fired Over Pride Flag Sues DOJ

By: Paul Goldberg, Senior Editor | JRL CHARTS – LGBT Politics

WASHINGTON, D.C. — (November 20, 2025) — A decorated former FBI staff operations specialist has filed a powerful federal lawsuit, alleging the Bureau wrongfully terminated him for displaying a Pride flag that was given to him by FBI leadership — a flag he says represented his service, identity, and commitment to the agency’s once-celebrated diversity mission.

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David Maltinsky, who spent more than 16 years with the FBI and won multiple awards for diversity and inclusion work, filed his complaint Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The lawsuit names the Department of Justice, the FBI, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and FBI Director Kash Patel as defendants.

A lifelong dream to serve — cut short

Maltinsky recounts that he dreamed of becoming an FBI Special Agent since age 11, inspired after the September 11 attacks. He began his FBI career as a Los Angeles Field Office intern in 2008, went full time in 2009, and rose to an intelligence position supporting cybercrime and national security operations. He earned some of the FBI’s highest recognitions, including:

2020 Director’s Award for Excellence – Diversity & Inclusion
2022 Attorney General’s Award for Equal Employment Opportunity

These honors directly led to him being gifted two Pride flags flown outside the FBI’s LA office, one of which he proudly displayed at his desk with an explanatory placard.

Fired after completing 16 of 19 weeks at Quantico

According to the complaint, Maltinsky was accepted into the FBI’s Special Agent training academy in 2025, passed his background check, and had nearly finished the 19-week program when Director Kash Patel suddenly terminated him.

The firing letter accused him of showing “poor judgment” for an “inappropriate display of political signage” — the Pride flag the FBI itself gave him.

“In short, Patel fired Maltinsky for displaying a Pride flag at his workstation that had been flown by the FBI,” the lawsuit states.

A double standard inside the FBI?

Maltinsky argues the decision violated his First and Fifth Amendment rights and points out that the FBI regularly allows other forms of personal expression in workspaces, including:

Thin Blue Line imagery
Gadsden flags
Punisher skull symbols
Conservative-aligned paraphernalia

The complaint notes Director Patel has personally distributed challenge coins featuring those symbols — raising questions about selective enforcement and viewpoint discrimination.

“We’re not the enemy.”

Speaking to CBS News reporter Scott MacFarlane, Maltinsky said he was devastated but not surprised, adding he’d heard he was “on a list” of LGBTQ employees being targeted for removal.

He says his firing sent a “chilling effect” through the Bureau, with colleagues removing Pride flags from their workspaces out of fear.

“We’re not the enemy,” Maltinsky said. “We’re proud members of the FBI. We have a mission to do.”

NEW: “We’re not the enemy, we’re not some political mob. We’re proud members of the FBI”

Former FBI employee David Maltinsky sues Trump Administration, arguing he was fired for displaying a PRIDE flag at his desk in Los Angeles field office

Interview with @CBSEveningNews ===> pic.twitter.com/s2ok7q82tu

— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 19, 2025

What Maltinsky is seeking

The lawsuit lists six causes of action, including First Amendment retaliation, viewpoint discrimination, and Fifth Amendment equal protection violations. He is asking the court to:

Retroactively reinstate him immediately
Restore back pay and benefits
Award damages, interest, and attorneys’ fees
Issue a mandamus order preventing unlawful removal

The FBI declined to comment on this story.

Stay with JRL CHARTS LGBT Politics News for ongoing coverage of federal LGBTQ discrimination cases, constitutional rights battles, and the political climate affecting LGBTQ Americans nationwide.