Donald Trump's FBI Plan Sparks Republican Backlash

Former president Donald Trump's plan to build a new FBI headquarters in Washington D.C. has sparked a Republican backlash and accusations that he has failed to "drain the swamp."

The comfortable frontrunner for the Republican nomination voiced his support for a "spectacular" new headquarters in a December 30 post shared on his social media platform Truth Social.

While "drain the swamp" became a popular phrase used by Trump, it has been used by other politicians—including Democrat Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi in 2006—and refers to rooting out supposed corruption and wasteful spending in Washington D.C.

GOP members have ramped up their attacks on the FBI following the riot at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, and have claimed federal agencies planted people that day and provoked the assault on the building.

"The FBI headquarters should not be moved to a far-away location, but should stay right where it is, in a new spectacular building, in the best location on our now crime-ridden and filthy-dirty, graffiti-scarred, capital," Trump said.

"They should be involved in bringing back D.C., not running away from it, especially the violent crime.

"An important part of my platform for president is to bring back, restore, and rebuild Washington D.C. into the 'crown jewel' of the nation.

"We will make it crime-free and great again. The FBI should not be fleeing for safer, yet much less convenient, environs. It should make where they are now the safest place on earth. Don't move the FBI."

But Trump's full-throated support for the agency and desire to see it in a new building was denounced by his fellow Republicans.

Newsweek previously reported the FBI is targeting Trump followers amid concerns there is a threat of violence and major civil disturbances around the 2024 U.S. election.

Trump himself has claimed that President Joe Biden's administration has used the FBI to profile Catholics "as possible terrorists." His comments appeared to reference a leaked FBI document that showed the bureau's office in Richmond, Virginia, had warned against an extremist threat posed by "radical-traditionalist Catholics."

Republicans, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy, both of whom are seeking the party's nomination, hit out at Trump's vision for the FBI on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"Donald Trump failed to drain the swamp so perhaps it is not surprising that he is seeking to deepen the swamp by building a massive new FBI building in D.C.," DeSantis said. "Actually, draining the swamp requires taking power out of D.C., not cementing power inside D.C."

"The FBI can't be 'reformed.' The right answer is: Shut it down. Yes, the president can do it. I will," Ramaswamy said.

A Republican congressman for Kentucky, Thomas Massie, said: "Let's be clear, the FBI does not need a spectacular new building."

Rep. Clay Higgins, a Louisiana Republican, claimed earlier this month during a discussion with former CBS News correspondent turned right-wing commentator Lara Logan that the FBI is tracking Trump supporters who were in Washington D.C. in the days leading up to the riot.

Newsweek has contacted Trump's media team and the FBI for comment via email.