5 days ago
Democratic Politician Says FBI Wants To Kill Him
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Washington, D.C., Ward 8 council member Trayon White said Friday during a swearing-in ceremony that he believes the FBI not only sought to arrest him but also to kill him.
Newsweek reached out to White and the FBI via email for comment.
Why It Matters
White's return to the D.C. Council occurred while he continued to face a federal bribery investigation and a criminal trial scheduled for January 2026. His public claim that the FBI wanted to kill him injected new controversy into a case already touching on public trust in law enforcement and local governance.
The claim also arrived amid a broader national backdrop in which elected officials have publicly accused the FBI of politically motivated actions, a pattern that has drawn bipartisan attention and scrutiny.
Ward 8 council member Trayon White speaks during a rally to restore funding for child care organized by child care providers and parents at the John A. Wilson Building on May 3, 2024, in Washington....
Ward 8 council member Trayon White speaks during a rally to restore funding for child care organized by child care providers and parents at the John A. Wilson Building on May 3, 2024, in Washington. Morefor Under 3 DC
What To Know
White won a special election this summer and the Board of Elections certified his victory unanimously before he was sworn in on Friday, according to local ABC affiliate WJLA.
"You know the FBI is after me, you know, but I believe that you know, not just arrest me, but you know, but I believe they want to kill me," White said during his remarks, describing an interaction in which he said a homeowner who hosted a meeting later reported an FBI knock at their door.
"So this tell you, they ain't nothing light," White continued. "Fear and God cannot occupy the same space. You're gonna have one or the other."
White was removed from the D.C. Council earlier this year amid allegations tied to a federal bribery investigation. The removal followed an indictment for allegedly taking thousands of dollars in bribes, according to NBC Washington.
He has pleaded not guilty. Preliminary evidence reportedly includes videos of him pocketing cash-stuffed envelopes from a city contractor, allegedly in return for securing lucrative city contracts.
The city's Board of Ethics and Accountability also alleged that White failed to file required public financial disclosure statements for 2024 and 2025, according to WJLA.
Those running against White in the summer included Salim Adofo, Mike Austin and Sheila Bunn—all with experience working as staffers for D.C. Council members or in the Advisory Neighborhood Commissions.
What People Are Saying
Trayon White on Friday: "Throughout this journey for me it's been a lot of trial and tribulations, not just running for re-election twice within a year's time, but just life in general. It's been a tough season, to say the least. I assure you, Ward 8, you got a champion in me. You got a warrior in me. You got a fighter in me. You got love in me."
Sam P.K. Collins, a reporter for The Washington Informer newspaper based in Ward 8, to NBC Washington: "Former Councilmember Trayon White really talks about the investments that he says he has helped bring to Ward 8, he has experience in collaborating with other councilmembers, and he's telling constituents that the job is not done yet, in terms of just making Ward 8 better."
What Happens Next
White's federal criminal trial is scheduled to begin in January 2026. The D.C. Council retains authority to consider expulsion again depending on the outcome of legal proceedings.
