Trump claims FBI planted 274 agents in January 6 Capitol crowd
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Trump alleged that the FBI secretly deployed 274 agents among protesters during the January 6 Capitol riot, accusing the bureau of inciting unrest despite no evidence supporting the claim.
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The US Capitol is seen, Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, in Washington (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
US President Donald Trump on Saturday claimed the FBI secretly planted hundreds of agents in the January 6 Capitol riot crowd, accusing the agency of breaching internal protocols and misleading the public about its role in the unrest.
"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. This is different from what Director Christopher Wray stated, over and over again! That's right, as it now turns out, FBI Agents were at, and in, the January 6th Protest, probably acting as Agitators and Insurrectionists, but certainly not as 'Law Enforcement Officials,'" Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.
He went on to suggest that senior FBI officials would soon have to answer for what he described as a serious breach of conduct.
Disputed Allegations
Trump's latest remarks add fuel to his longstanding effort to cast doubt on the official narrative of the 2021 riot, in which his supporters stormed the US Capitol to halt the certification of Joe Biden's election victory. He continues to insist that the 2020 election was marred by mail-in ballot fraud, a claim repeatedly dismissed by courts and election authorities.
The FBI has not responded to Trump's newest allegations, and no evidence has been presented publicly to support the assertion that 274 undercover agents were embedded in the crowd that day. Independent investigators and the Department of Justice's own Inspector General have concluded otherwise: a 2024 IG report found at least 26 confidential sources present near the Capitol on January 6, but determined no evidence those individuals were tasked with inciting violence or operating under direction to act as provocateurs.
Unverified Claims
Although Trump cites a precise figure, credible sources note that the "274 agents" claim appears to stem from conservative media reporting rather than publicly documented FBI records. Some analysts interpret the figure as a mischaracterization of how law enforcement personnel, plainclothes officers, and federal agents responded to the riot, not as advance planting of agitators.
Former FBI Director Christopher Wray has repeatedly denied that agents were embedded for the purpose of fomenting unrest, and in congressional testimony he rejected conspiracy theories suggesting the bureau orchestrated the events.
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As Trump presses for accountability, legal and historical precedent underscore the burden of proof lies with those making extraordinary claims. Without verifiable evidence, the new allegation adds more uncertainty to the already contentious legacy of January 6.
