Baseless claim that Biden sent FBI on 'knock and talk' visits of Trump supporters | Fact check

Chris Mueller, USA TODAY
·3 min read
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The claim: Biden ordered FBI to make 'knock and talk' visits to more than 100,000 Trump supporters

An Oct. 15 Instagram post (direct link, archive link) shows a screenshot of a post on X, formerly Twitter, that claims federal investigators are paying a visit to backers of former President Donald Trump.

"Breaking: Biden has ordered the FBI to make unannounced 'knock and talk' home visits to over 100,000 Trump supporters nationwide," reads the X post. "The FBI agents say, 'You haven't done anything wrong yet, we just want to talk.' Is this the beginning of Tyranny through voter intimidation?"

The post was liked more than 600 times in three days. A similar claim was reposted more than 9,000 times on X and shared more than 200 times on Facebook, according to CrowdTangle, a social media analytics tool.

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Our rating: False

There is no evidence to support the claim. No such order is mentioned in statements from the FBI or White House. The FBI said in a statement it does not target anyone based only on political beliefs.

FBI can't target people solely for political beliefs

There is no evidence President Joe Biden sent FBI agents to conduct "knock and talk" visits at the homes of thousands of Trump's supporters.

As of Oct. 20, the alleged order was not mentioned in any credible news reports or recent statements from the FBI or White House, nor was it included on a list of presidential actions.

"Any allegation that the FBI targets individuals solely for their political beliefs is categorically false," reads a statement the FBI provided USA TODAY. "The FBI investigates those who commit acts of violence or threaten violence, and we do not take action based on political belief or any First Amendment protected activity."

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Barbara McQuade, a law professor at the University of Michigan, said it's true that federal agents frequently conduct "knock and talk" interviews.

During these interviews, agents are allowed to carry out assessments of people while seeking information about a crime or national security threat, said McQuade, who served as a federal prosecutor in Michigan from 2010 to 2017.

However, McQuade said those interactions have to be for an authorized purpose, such as investigating a federal crime or obtaining information about a national security threat.

"The mere fact that someone is a member of a political party or supports a particular political candidate could not be a basis for knocking on their door and asking them questions," she said.

The concept of a presidential order for the FBI would also violate longstanding practice and policy.

The president nominates the FBI director (with Senate confirmation) and has the power to fire the director, as Trump did when he fired James Comey in 2017. But the FBI director reports to the attorney general, and there is a longstanding precedent of the FBI working independently of the executive branch.

"It would be seen as highly inappropriate for the president to identify a list of political enemies to go harass or intimidate in any way," McQuade said.

The social media user who shared the post could not be reached for comment.

Check Your Fact also debunked the claim.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: False claim Biden sent FBI after Trump supporters | Fact check