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FBI whistleblower alleges Trump ordered investigations of LA protesters
A former FBI supervisory intelligence analyst, Jill Fields, has filed a whistleblower complaint alleging that the Trump administration pressured the bureau to conduct unconstitutional investigations into protesters in Los Angeles.
Fields claims that the investigations targeted individuals demonstrating against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operations in early 2025. According to the complaint, then-acting deputy attorney general Emil Bove instructed the head of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office to investigate protesters near federal buildings. Fields further alleges that the White House directed FBI Director Kash Patel to launch probes after President Trump viewed a social media video of protesters in Alhambra, California, using megaphones to inform residents of their legal rights.
Fields contends that the activities being investigated were protected under the First Amendment and that FBI resources were diverted to these probes. She also alleges she faced retaliation for questioning the legality of the directives. The White House and the top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles have denied the allegations. Senator Alex Padilla has expressed that the disclosures are ‘deeply alarming’.
Entities
Donald Trump · Emil Bove · FBI · Jill Fields · Kash Patel
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Fields alleges that FBI resources were diverted to these probes and that she faced retaliation for questioning their legality. www.latimes.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Former FBI supervisor Jill Fields filed a whistleblower complaint alleging the Trump administration pressured the FBI to investigate Los Angeles protesters in violation of constitutional rights. www.ghanamma.com · www.timesnownews.com · www.latimes.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The White House allegedly directed FBI Director Kash Patel to investigate protesters using megaphones after President Trump viewed a social media video of the activity. www.ghanamma.com · www.timesnownews.com · www.latimes.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The White House and the top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles have denied the allegations. www.latimes.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Emil Bove, then acting deputy attorney general, allegedly instructed the head of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office to investigate protesters outside federal buildings. www.ghanamma.com · www.timesnownews.com · www.latimes.com