Could a five-year mystery finally be unraveling, or is there more hidden beneath the surface?
According to the Daily Mail, on Dec. 5, 2025, Brian Cole, 30, was identified as the suspect behind the pipe bombs placed near the DNC and RNC headquarters on Jan. 5, 2021, prompting the Trump administration to blast the Biden administration for failing to catch him earlier amid allegations of a deliberate cover-up.
Let’s start at the beginning: on the evening of Jan. 5, 2021, a hooded figure was captured on surveillance footage placing homemade explosives near the Democratic and Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C. The bombs, set at 7:54 p.m. and 8:16 p.m. respectively, never detonated but sowed panic as Trump supporters gathered to protest the 2020 election results the next day.
Fast forward to Dec. 5, 2025, when authorities named Brian Cole, a bail bondsman from Woodbridge, Virginia, as the alleged perpetrator. Described as a five-foot-six man living with his mother, Cole faces charges of attempted malicious destruction and planting explosives. Evidence like phone pings and license plate reader data placed him near the locations at the time of the incident.
Investigators revealed Cole meticulously prepared, purchasing bomb components like wiring and connectors from Home Depot and Lowe’s between May 2019 and November 2020, and steel wool in December 2020. Even after the Jan. 5 attempt, he allegedly bought more parts, including galvanized pipes on Jan. 22, 2021, and a kitchen timer the next day. The arrest marks a breakthrough in a five-year probe that baffled the FBI and fueled conspiracy theories. It came weeks after a $500,000 reward was offered and previously unseen footage was released, though the key evidence was reportedly just a review of data collected in 2021 and 2022.
The Trump administration didn’t hold back, accusing the prior Biden team of negligence for letting Cole remain free. Attorney General Pam Bondi noted on Dec. 5, 2025, “There was a total lack of movement,” emphasizing that the evidence used had been “collecting dust.” For conservatives, this smells like a failure of priorities at best, and something far darker at worst.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino echoed the frustration on Fox News that same day, saying, “I don't know what the hell they were doing!” He criticized the Biden-era FBI for focusing on partisan pursuits while ignoring this critical case. It’s hard not to wonder if political vendettas trumped public safety under the last regime.
Bongino and FBI head Kash Patel pointed fingers at distractions like the Mar-a-Lago raid and “Russiagate” probes as reasons for the delay. Their stance fuels suspicions that the Biden FBI dropped the ball—or worse, avoided it deliberately.
MAGA influencer Benny Johnson went further, claiming the Biden administration “knew exactly who did it” and calling it a historic FBI cover-up. He argued on X that Cole’s profile undermines certain narratives pushed by the left. While skepticism of government motives is warranted, such claims demand hard proof to avoid spiraling into speculation.
The investigation’s long dormancy, only now yielding results, raises eyebrows among those wary of bureaucratic overreach or bias. Why did it take half a decade to revisit existing evidence? That question lingers heavily for conservative observers.
Surveillance footage paints a chilling picture: the suspect scanning for witnesses, setting down a backpack on South Capitol Street, and methodically placing bombs at both political hubs. It’s a stark reminder of the chaos narrowly averted on that tense night.
For conservatives, Cole’s arrest—while a win—underscores a deeper issue with federal agencies’ focus under progressive leadership. Were resources misallocated to political witch hunts instead of real threats? The critique isn’t baseless, given the timeline.
As the case unfolds, public trust in law enforcement hangs in the balance. If evidence was indeed overlooked for years, as Bondi suggests, it’s a black mark on accountability that can’t be easily erased.
Ultimately, while Cole’s capture closes one chapter, it opens another full of tough questions about justice delayed. For those championing an America-first approach, this saga is a call to demand better from those tasked with protecting the nation.