Fact check
“That investigation did not conclude under President Joe Biden but under Trump, in 2025, after his administration purged the agents and Department of Justice attorneys assigned to the case.”
Reasoning
The claim matches the excerpts from several ProPublica articles, which report that the FBI investigation into Senator Susan Collins and the Navatek case was shut down under President Donald Trump in early 2025 following a purge of investigators. No contradictory evidence was found.
On confidence: Multiple primary sources from ProPublica explicitly state that the investigation was concluded under Trump in early 2025 after his administration purged agents and DOJ attorneys.
Important context
The investigation began in 2021 under the Biden administration but was not concluded until 2025 under Trump, after a reported purge of agents and DOJ attorneys involved in the case.
Evidence
Supporting (8)
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceProPublica Debunks Susan Collins’ Claims About FBI Anti-Corruption Probe — ProPublica
ago “and ultimately found nothing implicating Senator Collins or Senator Collins’ campaign.” But the investigation at the center of ProPublica’s story was based on claims Kao made between 2022 through 2024 — not seven years ago, as Collins…
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceProPublica Debunks Susan Collins’ Claims About FBI Anti-Corruption Probe — ProPublica
ultimately found nothing implicating Senator Collins or Senator Collins’ campaign.” But the investigation at the center of ProPublica’s story was based on claims Kao made between 2022 through 2024 — not seven years ago, as Collins states.…
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceProPublica Debunks Susan Collins’ Claims About FBI Anti-Corruption Probe — ProPublica
major donor who told law enforcement he exchanged campaign cash for government contracts. His confession came after his guilty plea for campaign finance and loan fraud. The ProPublica story revealed that the FBI had been circling the…
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceProPublica Debunks Susan Collins’ Claims About FBI Anti-Corruption Probe — ProPublica
investigation. FBI records reviewed by ProPublica show the agency remained interested in the conduct of Collins and her staff right up until the most recent phase of their investigation was shut down under Trump. The documents show that…
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceProPublica Debunks Susan Collins’ Claims About FBI Anti-Corruption Probe — ProPublica
records reviewed by ProPublica show the agency remained interested in the conduct of Collins and her staff right up until the most recent phase of their investigation was shut down under Trump. The documents show that Kao was still…
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceProPublica report on Susan Collins is roiling Maine's Senate race
donations, including ones made to Collins by family members whom he reimbursed. The New York Times confirmed later Tuesday that the investigation was closed, but reported that FBI leadership didn’t believe Kao’s story. ProPublica said it…
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceFBI Eyed Susan Collins Over Defense Contractor’s Donations — ProPublica
Probe: In 2024, the FBI sought to launch a sweeping pay-to-play investigation examining interactions between Sen. Susan Collins and a top donor, records and emails show. Confession: The donor, an ex-defense contractor, told agents his…
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceFBI Eyed Susan Collins Over Defense Contractor’s Donations — ProPublica
revelations is dead. And the government is no longer talking to an informant who had offered a road map to corruption in Congress. The White House referred ProPublica to the FBI. FBI spokesperson Ben Williamson said the agency had…
Limitations
All evidence comes from the same media outlet (ProPublica) and related articles; independent verification from other outlets or official government documents is not present.
- Last verified:
- Sep 27, 2026, 4:48 AM CDT
- Pipeline:
- 2.1.0
- Claim type:
- Factual
Where this claim appeared
Susan Collins Dismissed Our Reporting as Old News. Some of Her Claims Aren’t True.ProPublica · William Turton