By The FBI has terminated former special agent Steve Friend for a second time, weeks after reinstating him through a settlement, following podcast remarks that bureau officials interpreted as a veiled threat against FBI Director Kash Patel, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Friend, a prominent internal critic of the FBI’s handling of the January 6 Capitol riot investigation, was dismissed after comments he made during a December 5 appearance on The Kyle Seraphin Show, a podcast hosted by another former FBI agent. During the episode, Friend discussed allegations surrounding the still-unsolved pipe bombs placed near the U.S. Capitol on January 5, 2021, and advanced claims of a possible cover-up.
In that context, Friend delivered a lengthy and graphic statement that drew swift concern inside the bureau.
“You better pray to Gaia or Vishnu or whatever your maker is, that real Steve Friend is never in a position to be an instrument of God’s wrath, because I will be merciful: I won’t give you a trial and a hanging,” he told The Kyle Seraphin Show on Dec. 5. “I’ll allow you to breathe every breath that your body will have for the rest of its natural life inside of a box, and then when it ultimately fades to black, that’s when real wrath begins.”
Friend did not explicitly name Patel, noted The New York Post, but he referenced an individual possibly holding executive leadership authority and invoked the Hindu deity Vishnu — comments that insiders interpreted as an allusion to the director’s background.
An excerpt of the podcast, posted on Twitter on December 8 by retired FBI supervisory special agent John Nantz, prompted internal scrutiny. Shortly afterward, Friend was instructed to report in person to the FBI’s Jacksonville field office beginning the following week. Sources say his termination followed soon after.
Friend’s relationship with the bureau has been contentious for years. In 2022, he was placed on leave after raising objections to aspects of the January 6 investigation, which ultimately led to the prosecution of roughly 1,600 individuals connected to the events of January 6, 2021. He resigned in 2023 but was reinstated in October 2025 as part of a settlement that included back pay. Despite the reinstatement, Friend had not returned to full operational duties and remained subject to routine clearance and review procedures.
Ironically, Patel had previously supported Friend and other agents through a foundation that aided personnel who alleged retaliation over their views related to January 6 cases. However, sources indicate that after reviewing internal FBI records, Patel developed concerns about the circumstances surrounding Friend’s original separation from the agency.
Compounding Friend’s troubles, his legal representation also unraveled. Empower Oversight, the organization that helped secure his reinstatement, severed ties with him around the time of the podcast appearance. In correspondence, the attorneys cited Friend’s repeated disregard for guidance regarding FBI policies governing public statements and social media activity by employees, according to Fox News.
According to those communications, Friend had been reminded of those restrictions after rejoining the payroll but continued making media appearances and publicly discussing bureau-related matters.
Nantz, who shared the podcast clip online, pointed to Friend’s history of unauthorized interviews as evidence of a broader pattern of conduct.
The FBI declined to comment on the termination, citing its policy against discussing individual personnel actions. Friend has not publicly responded to requests for comment.
The episode marks a dramatic and final rupture between the bureau and one of its most vocal internal critics — and underscores the sharp limits the FBI places on public speech by employees, even those recently restored to its ranks.
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