Trump pushes for investigation into Wray over false claims of FBI involvement in Capitol attack
- President Trump suggested a criminal investigation into FBI Director Christopher Wray due to claims about FBI agents' involvement in the Capitol attack.
- Reports emerged that while FBI agents responded to the Capitol on January 6, there is no evidence suggesting they acted as agitators or incited the riot.
- The claims have been refuted by an inspector general's report and prior statements from Wray, reinforcing the lack of credible evidence against federal agents.
In the United States, President Donald Trump suggested an investigation into Christopher Wray, who he appointed as FBI Director, after claims emerged that 274 FBI agents may have been embedded in the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection. A conservative media outlet reported this assertion, leading Trump to imply that these agents acted as agitators. However, allegations were negated by both the FBI and an inspector general's report stating that no undercover FBI employees participated in or incited the riot. The investigation left open whether Wray would face criminal inquiries, while Trump expressed satisfaction in ongoing legal actions against political adversaries. The report cited by Trump mentioned the FBI's extensive response during the Capitol riots, with hundreds of Special Agents deployed to assist law enforcement overwhelmed by the mob. The FBI's Washington Field Office had dispatched 274 agents to the Capitol and nearby locations on January 6. However, it was clarified that these agents were responding to the attack and not inciting it. Despite Trump's claims, there was no credible evidence linking federal agents to the riot as instigators or agitators. Additionally, a June 2024 report from the Justice Department inspector general confirmed that while 26 informants were present in Washington during the Capitol attack, none had been instructed to join in or encourage illegal activities. The accountability regarding federal agents during this moment was established, indicating that no wrongdoing was perpetrated by the FBI employees involved in the aftermath of the rioting. Despite the clarity from official reports, Trump persisted with his allegations, which suggests an ongoing controversy and division surrounding the January 6 event. Previous FBI Director Christopher Wray has consistently denied any claims suggesting the FBI's involvement in inciting violence that day, viewing such notions as baseless. As a result, Trump's urging for investigations reflects a broader narrative aimed at discrediting the FBI, which he believes has failed under Wray’s leadership, leading to a complicated relationship between the former President and his appointed director.