FBI Visits Independent Journalist Over Manifesto
Independent reporter Ken Klippenstein stated that he went to the FBI on Friday following their announcement regarding the suspect’s manifesto tied to a shooting near the Capital Jewish Museum earlier in the week.
On Thursday, two FBI agents reportedly visited Klippenstein’s home to inquire about a suspicious manifesto, as mentioned in posts on his website. He released documents claiming that the manifesto belonged to Elias Rodriguez, the 31-year-old suspect in the tragic incident that resulted in the deaths of two Israeli diplomats.
The FBI visited me by publishing Elias Rodriguez’s manifesto. https://t.co/opvfc1qzvc
– Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) May 23, 2025
The agents allegedly expressed interest in how Klippenstein obtained the manifesto. They asked, “We want to know about the timeline. How did you know about the manifesto before anyone else, and were you in contact with the shooter beforehand?”
Klippenstein suggested that the agents speak with his lawyer, after which they reportedly left. Ellen Tharmer, a special agent with the FBI, later sent him a list of questions via email.
According to Klippenstein, the email indicated, “We’re grateful if this list of questions was kept between you and your clients.” He shared some screenshots of the email, which contained inquiries about how he got hold of the manifesto and whether he had interacted with the suspect.
Questions included whether this was his only interaction with the individual who submitted the manifesto, if anyone else had provided documents related to the case, and the timing of when he received the manifesto relative to the attack. These questions seemed to raise further intrigue.
Klippenstein mentioned this was the second time the FBI had visited him in the past year. Previously, they approached him in October following the release of what he claimed was a Trump campaign document for JD Vance. He also noted allegations regarding a manifesto tied to Luigi Mangione, a man accused of killing former United Health CEO Brian Thompson, which law enforcement later confirmed as authentic.
The FBI and Klippenstein were both contacted for comments, but there has been no response as of yet.
