FBI Fires Whistleblower Steve Friend

A former FBI agent, Steve Friend, who gained attention during the pandemic as a whistleblower, has reportedly been fired. This action took place on Friday, following his reappointment under President Donald Trump.

The FBI cited “unprofessional conduct and poor judgment” as reasons for the termination, with details emerging from a letter revealed by New York Post columnist Miranda Devine. While FBI officials confirmed the dismissal, they did not provide further details, labeling it a personnel issue.

The termination letter mentioned that Friend had engaged in unauthorized media interactions, shared sensitive information, and commented publicly on FBI matters and ongoing investigations.

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Friend’s saga began with a suspension in August 2022, followed by his resignation in February 2023, although he was reinstated the previous September.

In November, the FBI noted that Friend had released media sources and photos identifying a suspect and discussed this on a podcast without solid evidence to support such actions.

Commenting on his firing, Friend told FOX News Digital that he believed it was retaliatory, pointing to criticism he had about the FBI’s handling of an arrest related to the January 6, 2021, pipe bomb incident.

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Interestingly, Friends was dropped as a client by his attorneys at Empower Oversight Whistleblowers & Research on December 5. They indicated that his public comments on FBI issues contradicted their advice, raising concerns about potential punitive measures from the agency.

In their letter, they expressed that due to his apparent disregard for their counsel, they could not continue representing him beyond matters concerning his reinstatement.