FBI loosens hiring standards on bestiality and workplace theft
The FBI has relaxed some of its hiring requirements (Getty Images, stock)
The FBI has quietly loosened some of its hiring standards, meaning certain applicants with histories that previously would have automatically disqualified them can now potentially be considered for jobs at the bureau.
According to a 28 August report by CBS News, the changes were communicated internally in a 16 June memo. Under the new rules, applicants who stole from an employer can still be considered if the incident happened more than three years ago.
People who engaged in bestiality or animal cruelty before the age of 18 may also remain eligible. And applicants who hired sex workers fewer than three times may be considered if the conduct happened more than 10 years ago, although there are additional restrictions for people who solicited sex while in positions of trust.
The FBI previously listed engagement in prostitution or bestiality as automatic disqualifiers for employment. The bureau has confirmed that some eligibility requirements have changed, but says the circumstances are narrow and that it continues to maintain high suitability standards.
An FBI spokesperson specifically pointed to cases in which applicants may have experienced sexual abuse involving animals as children, saying such circumstances can affect how polygraph results are evaluated.
The changes come as the FBI has undergone significant personnel losses during Donald Trump’s second administration. CBS reports that the bureau lost more than 1,000 special agents in 2025 alone, while broader staffing losses have included retirements, resignations and firings. FBI Director Kash Patel has separately argued that some older hiring requirements were making it harder to recruit qualified candidates.
The relaxed standards have drawn criticism from former FBI officials and lawyers. James Davidson, who leads the FBI Integrity Project, argued “Bestiality is clearly a potential indication of a more serious emotional issue, and even in a circumstance where it is not, the pool of candidates should be extensive enough that the criteria should certainly not be eliminated”, while attorney Mark Zaid said “How can this not be reflective of a recruiting problem at the FBI if you are lowering your standards on issues like bestiality and prostitution?”
At the same time, the FBI disputes the suggestion that it is simply lowering standards across the board. Patel has said the bureau needs to modernise some requirements to expand its recruiting pool, while the FBI says applicants who technically meet the revised criteria are still not guaranteed employment.
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