A previously undisclosed after-action report shows that the FBI deployed more than 250 undercover agents to the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, a deployment some agents described as chaotic and unsafe.
The 50-page document highlights widespread concerns over officer safety, preparedness and the bureau’s perceived political bias.
Agents from the Washington Field Office (WFO) and other divisions criticized leadership for sending personnel into a volatile environment without proper protective gear or a way to identify themselves to other law enforcement agencies.
“I wish you all would pay more attention to our safety than what type of masks we wear. If you are going to deploy us to a riot situation, then give us the proper damn safety equipment—helmet, face shield, protective clothing—and training,” one employee wrote.
The report, obtained by Just the News and recently submitted to Congress, also underscores concerns that political considerations shaped the bureau’s actions.
Several agents said the FBI’s handling of Jan. 6 contrasted sharply with law enforcement’s response to the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests.
“The actions on January 6, 2021, were absolutely despicable and unacceptable in a civilized society,” one agent wrote. “What is even more unacceptable was the hypocrisy displayed by the FBI and its leadership… while we watched cities burn across America during the summer of 2020.”
Criticism of internal culture was widespread.
“WFO is a hopelessly broken office that’s more concerned about wearing masks and recruiting preferred racial/sexual groups than catching actual bad guys,” one employee said.
Another added, “We have been used as pawns in a political war, and FBI leadership fell into the trap and has allowed it to happen.”
Many agents expressed frustration that the bureau had shifted focus from crime-fighting to political considerations.
Some employees also faulted the D.C. U.S. Attorney’s office for contributing to inconsistencies, suggesting prosecutors dictated which cases moved forward, at times pursuing minor offenses while overlooking more serious crimes.
Agents said this created a perceived double standard and diminished confidence in the FBI’s mission.
The revelation that hundreds of armed, undercover agents were at the Capitol could carry legal ramifications.
Experts warn that defendants might have grounds to challenge convictions if they were unaware that FBI personnel witnessed critical events firsthand.
Current FBI Director Kash Patel’s team discovered the report and provided it to Congress, sparking renewed scrutiny of the bureau’s handling of the riot.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan and Jan. 6 subcommittee chairman Barry Loudermilk have pledged to investigate the findings.
“Were the courts that heard cases regarding January 6 made aware these agents were at the Capitol? Were any of the agents tasked to investigate individuals at the Capitol?” Loudermilk asked.
Former Director Chris Wray, who previously testified about the bureau’s response, rejected claims of political bias.
“The idea that I’m biased against conservatives seems somewhat insane to me, given my own personal background,” he told Congress in 2023.
Nonetheless, agents’ accounts repeatedly cite concerns about partisanship, inconsistent decision-making and cultural issues within the FBI.
The report portrays a bureau struggling with operational missteps, internal culture challenges and public trust, revealing previously unknown details about the FBI’s controversial role on one of the most contentious days in recent U.S. history.
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