Whistleblower alleges Trump ordered FBI investigation of LA protesters

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 6 Oct, 22:00 · Archive

A whistleblower complaint alleges President Trump ordered the FBI to investigate anti-immigration protesters in Los Angeles.

A whistleblower complaint alleges that President Trump ordered the FBI to investigate anti-immigration protesters in Los Angeles in early 2025. Democratic Senator Alex Padilla, who represents California and serves on the Senate judiciary committee, said his office had received a copy of the complaint. The White House has denied the allegations as false and stated that the First Amendment does not protect violent rioting.

Senator Padilla said that using the FBI to target Americans for exercising their First Amendment rights undermines the nation's foundational values. The complaint makes sweeping allegations about the Trump administration's response to the LA protests, though the full details remain unclear.

How it is being reported

• Trump pushed FBI to investigate anti-ICE demonstrators in LA, whistleblower claims‘Using the FBI to target Americans for exercising their First Amendment rights directly undermines our nation’s foundational values,’ Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla of California saysIndependent World · 6 Oct, 21:50
• Whistleblower suit alleges Trump ordered FBI investigation on LA anti-ICE protestersThe White House denies the allegations as ‘false’ and says the ‘first amendment does not protect violent rioting’ US politics live – latest updates Donald Trump ordered the FBI to investigate protesters in Los Angeles who were demonstrating against the president’s immigration crackdown, according to a whistleblower complaint. US senator Alex Padilla, a Democrat who represents California and serves on the Senate judiciary committee, said his office had received a copy of the complaint, which makes sweeping allegations about the Trump administration’s response to protests in LA in early 2025.…Guardian World · 6 Oct, 19:08

In this story: Trump · Alex Padilla · FBI · Los Angeles

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