FBI fires reinstated whistleblower Steve Friend
The FBI terminated former special agent and COVID‑era whistleblower Steve Friend on Dec. 12, citing 'unprofessional conduct and poor judgment' and alleging unauthorized media interactions and public commentary on ongoing investigations, according to a termination letter posted publicly and confirmed by an FBI source. Friend, who was suspended in 2022, resigned in 2023 and reinstated in September 2025, had recently been dropped by his attorneys at Empower Oversight for ignoring advice to stop public comments; he called the firing retaliation by FBI Director Kash Patel.
📌 Key Facts
- Termination date: Dec. 12, 2025; grounds cited include 'unauthorized interactions with the media' and public discussion of FBI matters
- Letter says Friend disclosed media sources and photos identifying an alleged subject without 'credible, verifiable evidence'
- Empower Oversight dropped Friend as a client on Dec. 5 for continuing to comment publicly against counsel’s advice
📊 Relevant Data
The FBI manipulated January 6 case data by opening separate cases for each individual and distributing them to all 56 field offices, artificially inflating the appearance of widespread domestic terrorism.
BREAKING: Whistleblower says FBI manipulated Jan. 6 cases to make domestic terrorism appear widespread — American Press
From 2018 to 2022, the Department of Justice closed approximately five times more FBI whistleblower retaliation complaints than from 2009 to 2013, with a sample of 169 complaints reviewed from the 2018-2022 period.
Whistleblower Protection: DOJ and FBI Need to Improve Employees' Awareness of Rights — U.S. Government Accountability Office
In August 2025, 10 FBI whistleblowers who alleged political weaponization reached settlements with the Department of Justice after facing years of retaliation.
10 FBI whistleblowers – who warned of 'political weaponization' and faced retaliation from Biden admin – reach settlements with DOJ — New York Post