Breitbart Slammed for Doxxing FBI Agents Involved in Mar-a-Lago Raid

Conservative media outlet Breitbart is facing criticism for publishing the names of FBI agents involved in the raid of former President Donald Trump's home.

Breitbart published a leaked version of the Mar-a-Lago search warrant, including the names of an FBI special agent and supervisor agent, on Friday. The agents both signed their names on receipts for property seized from Trump's home, including boxes of classified documents that reportedly may have included nuclear secrets. A redacted version of the warrant, which omitted the names of the agents, was officially released hours later.

Commentators soon took to Twitter to accuse Breitbart, an outlet previously managed by former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, of doxxing—the practice of identifying a person or releasing personal information about them, often with the aim of enabling targeted harassment. Some also accused Trump of leaking the warrant to Breitbart in hopes of targeting the agents.

"[U.S. Attorney General Merrick] Garland called Trump out to make warrant public," tweeted digital strategist Alan Rosenblatt. "Trump tried to get one over on Garland, releasing warrant to Breitbart, w/out redacting FBI agents names. That's right, Trump doxxed FBI agents serving a legal search warrant. Once again, Trump is inciting violence."

"It's also worth noting that they published the names of the FBI agents, which serves no purpose other than opening them up to threats and harassment," legal analyst and former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti tweeted. "Breitbart is also confused about what 'SSA' means. It refers to Supervisory Special Agent, a FBI supervisor."

"Trump, via Breitbart, released unredacted copy of property receipt containing names of FBI agents," tweeted attorney Mark S. Zaid. "Based on his history, this can only be interpreted as intentional to cause these Special Agents (one of whom I know) & their families grief & subject them to possible threats."

"From what I can tell, the court unsealed it - but before that could happen, Trump himself leaked it to Breitbart," author Tessa Dare tweeted. "But the version he leaked had the FBI AGENTS' NAMES in it, whereas the official unsealed one kept those redacted to protect them and their families. A**hole."

"[Breitbart] incl the names of the individual FBI agents involved in the search," Elephant Journal tweeted. "The court issued release of the warrant redacts that sensitive information. Team Trump just put a target on the backs of the agents & their families. That is 100% the intent."

"Trump's social media platform sent a push alert this afternoon to an article with an unredacted version of the search warrant that included the names of two FBI agents," tweeted CNN correspondent Donie O'Sullivan. "Those agents' names are now circulating on pro-Trump social media and are being villainized."

"So... when Trump leaked the warrant docs to WSJ, Fox & Breitbart this afternoon, the names of the FBI agents in moved were not redacted," news anchor Ed Greenberger tweeted. "Anyone who thinks Trump cares about America, or Americans, is a damn fool."

The FBI has received an increase in violent threats in the wake of conservative rage over the raid on Trump's home. FBI Director Christopher Wray has denounced the threats, saying on Wednesday "violence against law enforcement is not the answer, no matter what anybody's upset about."

Less than 24 hours before the Trump search warrant was leaked to Breitbart, an armed Trump supporter who had recently advocated killing FBI agents online was shot dead by police after allegedly attempting to break into the FBI field office in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Newsweek has reached out to Breitbart for comment.