FACT CHECK: Trump Falsely Claims Biden's FBI Planted Agents at Capital Riot
THE BIDEN FBI PLACED 274 AGENTS INTO THE CROWD ON JANUARY 6. If this is so, which it is, a lot of very good people will be owed big apologies. What a SCAM - DO SOMETHING!!! President DJT
— President Donald Trump via Truth Social
President Donald Trump falsely claimed in a late-night social media post this past weekend that the “Biden FBI” planted 274 agents in the crowd during the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, despite Trump himself being president at the time of the insurrection.
Timeline Contradicts Claim
The claim is factually impossible because Joe Biden did not become president until January 20, 2021, two weeks after the Capitol riot. On January 6, 2021, Trump was the sitting president and held authority over the federal government, including the FBI. Additionally, FBI Director Christopher Wray, who led the bureau at the time of the attack, was a Trump appointee who has remained in that position.
On the day of the riot, Trump rallied supporters in Washington, D.C., repeating unfounded claims about election fraud and encouraging them to march toward the Capitol. “We fight like hell,” Trump told the crowd. “And if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore”.
Context of the Conspiracy Theory
This is not the first time Trump has made such claims about FBI involvement in the January 6 events. Two weeks before his weekend post, Trump alleged on Truth Social that the FBI had “secretly, against all Rules, Protocols and Standards” placed 274 agents “into the crowds, just prior to, and during, the January 6th Hoax,” though he did not mention Biden in that earlier instance.
The claim adds to a broader pattern of revisionist narratives about January 6, as Trump and some Republican lawmakers have attempted to shift responsibility for the riot away from the former president and his supporters.
Investigation Background
The FBI did analyze phone records of more than seven Republican lawmakers in 2023 as part of special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The records provided basic information about call timing and location, but did not include the content of conversations. These lawmakers had connections to Trump’s pressure campaign to overturn election results, including the so-called fake electors scheme.
Some Republican senators, including Josh Hawley of Missouri, have characterized these investigative actions as “tapping” phones, though legal experts clarified that collecting metadata does not constitute wiretapping.
Trump faced federal indictment in August 2023 for allegedly conspiring to overturn the election results, but the case was dismissed following his 2024 electoral victory, based on Justice Department policy that sitting presidents cannot face federal prosecution.
“Trump appears to forget that Jan 6 happened on his watch as he blames Biden in late-night screed: ‘What a SCAM!’” 2025. The Independent, October 12, 2025. https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-biden-fbi-jan-6-post-b2843973.html.
“Donald Trump falsely says ‘Biden FBI’ placed agents in Jan. 6 crowds.” 2025. USA Today, October 12, 2025. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/10/12/trump-makes-false-claim-biden-fbi-behind-jan-6/86659352007/.
“Trump Repeats False Claim That Biden Planted FBI Agents at Jan. 6 Insurrection.” 2025. People, October 13, 2025. https://people.com/trump-repeats-false-claim-that-biden-planted-fbi-agents-at-jan-6-insurrection-11829010.
“Trump Forgets He Was President During Capitol Riot, Blames ‘THE BIDEN FBI’ for Jan. 6 in Dead-of-Night Post.” 2025. Yahoo News, October 12, 2025. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-forgets-president-during-capitol-073307749.html.
“Fact-checking Hawley’s claims that the FBI ‘tapped’ his and other senators’ phones.” 2025. PBS NewsHour, October 9, 2025. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/fact-checking-hawleys-claims-that-the-fbi-tapped-his-and-other-senators-phones.
“Breaking down the arguments on the Biden DOJ obtaining phone records of GOP lawmakers.” 2025. CNN, October 7, 2025. https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/07/politics/republican-lawmaker-records-seized-explained.
“FBI analyzed phone records of senators as part of Trump Jan. 6 probe, lawmakers say.” 2025. PBS NewsHour, October 7, 2025. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/fbi-analyzed-phone-records-of-senators-as-part-of-trump-jan-6-probe-lawmakers-say.
“FBI analyzed some Republican lawmakers’ phone records as part of Trump Jan. 6 probe, GOP senators say.” 2025. CBS News, October 6, 2025. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fbi-gop-lawmaker-phone-records-trump-jan-6-probe/.
“Trump falsely claims ‘Biden FBI’ placed agents in Jan. 6 crowds.” 2025. Newsweek, October 12, 2025. https://www.newsweek.com/trump-repeats-baseless-claim-about-fbi-on-jan-6-demands-big-apologies-10866162.