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EXCLUSIVE: On Saturday, the FBI responded to claims regarding the deployment of 274 plainclothes agents during the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. The bureau clarified the agents’ role while simultaneously criticizing former FBI Director Christopher Wray for his testimony before Congress.
The FBI personnel arrived after the unrest had begun, according to officials speaking to Fox News Digital. Their task was to help control the chaotic crowd, but this action drew serious concerns regarding the appropriateness of FBI involvement in such crowd management, asserted Director Kash Patel.
Patel stated, “Agents were sent into a crowd control mission after the riot was declared by Metro Police. This goes against FBI standards.” He continued, highlighting a deeper issue of leadership integrity, proclaiming, “This was the failure of corrupt leadership that lied to Congress and to the American people about what really happened that day.”
As for the agents’ presence at the Capitol, an FBI official confirmed there is no evidence to suggest their involvement in events related to former President Donald Trump’s speech at the Ellipse earlier that day. The official pointed out that Wray should have been more transparent about the agents’ presence when questioned by congressional leaders.
This matter gained further attention when President Trump responded to the report indicating that FBI agents were present in the crowd without clear operational directives. He stated, “Wray has some major explaining to do.”
In a social media post, Trump wrote, “It was just revealed that the FBI had secretly placed, against all Rules, Regulations, Protocols, and Standards, 274 FBI Agents into the Crowd just prior to, and during, the January 6th Hoax.” He expressed his disbelief that Wray maintained multiple iterations of differing accounts regarding agents’ engagement on that day.
Furthermore, Trump demanded clarity on the identities of these officers and their activities, arguing, “Many great American patriots were made to pay a very big price only for the love of their country,” referring to the repercussions faced by supporters involved in the riot.
Subsequently, Trump proceeded to pardon or commute sentences for individuals convicted of offenses related to the January 6 events after his inauguration this year.
Reports revealed by The Blaze stated that the number of agents embedded in the crowd was not particularly surprising. The FBI frequently deploys counter-surveillance personnel at large gatherings, illustrating the agency’s standard operating procedure in monitoring events.
During a testimony before a House Committee on November 15, 2023, Wray denied any involvement of FBI agents in orchestrating the violence at the Capitol. However, he refrained from confirming whether any agents were placed within the crowd.
Among the 274 agents reported, some were also responding to bomb threats at the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee headquarters on the eve of January 6, according to a Politico report.
Wray, appointed by Trump in 2017 after the dismissal of former Director James Comey, faced significant scrutiny as the investigation unfolded. Recently, Comey was indicted for allegedly providing false statements to Congress.
While Wray faced criticism for not disclosing the FBI’s actions clearly, a report by Justice Department Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz in December concluded that no evidence indicated FBI undercover employees infiltrated the protest crowds or Capitol premises. However, he acknowledged 26 informants were in attendance, with only three assigned by the FBI.
Crucially, the report made it clear that these informants were instructed not to incite violence, break the law, or enter the Capitol building during the riot.
The distinction between plainclothes and undercover agents generated confusion, leading to varying interpretations by the FBI and the inspector general, indicating that both parties aimed to provide clarity but might have misled individuals due to semantics.
Discontent among agents surfaced over being deployed for crowd control, with an official stating that the chaotic nature of the incident contradicted the agency’s original strategy of non-participation. Agents are generally not trained for crowd management, raising accountability issues.
The timeline revealed that the first agents reached the Capitol at approximately 2:30 p.m., highlighting the absence of any personnel prior to the declaration of a riot.
Patel emphasized the need for accountability, stating, “If Congress asks you a question under oath, you, as the FBI director, need to be prepared to answer it honestly without evasion.”
Although the situation remains complex, the ongoing developments suggest a significant investigation into the actions of the FBI surrounding the January 6 incident, impacting both the agency and the perception of its leadership significantly.
Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
