The FBI has arrested a suspect believed to have placed pipe bombs near the Republican and Democratic party headquarters in Washington, D.C., the night before the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot. The explosives did not detonate, but officials described them as “viable” and potentially lethal. Surveillance footage reportedly showed the suspect wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, face mask, glasses, and gloves while carrying the bombs in a backpack. Despite years of investigation—including visits to over 1,200 homes and businesses, more than 1,000 interviews, 39,000 video files reviewed, and 600 tips analyzed—the case remained unsolved until recently. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino emphasized the agency’s renewed efforts to pursue a “new strategy” to resolve the threat.
In parallel, the FBI’s Arctic Frost investigation into former President Donald Trump and his allies has drawn scrutiny. The probe, launched in 2022, examined efforts to submit alternate electors during the 2020 election, despite historical precedents not resulting in prosecutions. Newly released documents indicate the investigation relied heavily on media clips and lacked clear legal justification. Republican lawmakers, including House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, have criticized the memo authorizing the probe as legally flawed and politically motivated, likening it to the 2016 Crossfire Hurricane investigation.
Arctic Frost, initially overseen by the FBI and later taken over by Special Counsel Jack Smith, resulted in subpoenas targeting hundreds of Trump allies and over 400 Republican groups. Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley highlighted the breadth of these subpoenas, describing them as part of an “indiscriminate election case” against Trump, while Smith has denied wrongdoing and may testify before Congress.