Acting Director Brian Driscoll confirmed the names were shared via a classified system to prevent public identification. In an email obtained by FBI whistleblower Garret O’Boyle, Driscoll assured agents that there is no indication the DOJ intends to release the names publicly but acknowledged the risks.

“We will let you know immediately if we learn the Department’s intentions regarding these lists changes,” he wrote, according to CNN. The move has fueled further debate over transparency, accountability, and the handling of January 6 investigations.