Another chapter in the FBI’s saga of questionable decisions has just dropped, with a reinstated whistleblower getting the boot for speaking out.
In a nutshell, Steve Friend, a former FBI agent turned COVID-era whistleblower, has been fired again by the bureau on Dec. 12, 2025, after a brief reinstatement, sparking cries of retaliation from House Republicans and Friend himself, as Fox News reports.
Let’s rewind a bit to understand this mess.
Friend’s troubles with the FBI started back in August 2022 when he was suspended, leading to his resignation in February 2023 after blowing the whistle on what he saw as agency misconduct.
He didn’t stay out of the game long, though, as he was reinstated in September 2025, likely hoping for a fresh start.
But that hope was short-lived, as the FBI handed him a termination letter just months later, citing “unprofessional conduct and poor judgment” for his unauthorized media interactions.
The FBI’s termination letter, shared on X by New York Post columnist Miranda Devine, didn’t mince words, accusing Friend of publicly commenting on bureau matters and ongoing investigations.
Specifically, the letter pointed to an incident in November 2025, where Friend allegedly shared media and photos identifying a supposed subject on his podcast without solid evidence to back it up.
Is this a case of an agent overstepping boundaries, or is the FBI just allergic to transparency? One has to wonder if the bureau’s definition of “poor judgment” conveniently aligns with silencing critics.
Friend, for his part, isn’t buying the FBI’s reasoning, telling Fox News Digital, “My ouster was retaliation by FBI Director Kash Patel.”
That’s a bold claim, and it’s hard not to raise an eyebrow when a whistleblower who testified before Congress in May 2023 alongside fellow agent Garret O’Boyle gets shown the door—again.
House Republicans echo Friend’s sentiment, alleging the FBI, particularly under prior leadership, has a habit of punishing those who expose internal wrongdoing.
Adding salt to the wound, Friend’s legal team at Empower Oversight Whistleblowers & Research parted ways with him on Dec. 5, 2025, citing his refusal to heed their advice on public commentary.
In a letter posted on X by former FBI agent Kyle Seraphin, the nonprofit stated, “In light of your apparent unwillingness to follow the free professional advice we have given you, we are even more convinced that our previously expressed inability to represent you regarding any legal matters other than your reinstatement was warranted.”
While Friend’s choice to keep talking publicly may have cost him legal backing, it’s worth asking if the FBI’s strict gag orders are less about protocol and more about protecting a flawed system from scrutiny in an era where trust in institutions is already razor-thin.
