Ex-FBI official fired by Trump launches bid for Maryland’s congressional seat
WASHINGTON, DC: David Sundberg, a former senior FBI official who was terminated at the start of Donald Trump’s second term, announced on Monday, February 23, his candidacy for Maryland’s 5th Congressional District. Sundberg was notified of his firing in late January 2025, just days after the President took office, as part of a broader purge of top FBI leadership.
“I’m running for Congress because I believe in the rule of law, not the rule of one man,” Sundberg stated, characterizing his dismissal as a consequence of "refusing to allow politics to compromise justice". He joins a competitive Democratic field seeking to replace retiring Representative Steny Hoyer, who has represented the solidly Democratic district since 1981.
Decades of service at the bureau
Sundberg joined the FBI in 2002 after serving in the Air Force and as a local detective. Before his termination, he served as the assistant director in charge of the Washington field office under former Director Christopher Wray, where he managed 1,600 employees and oversaw operations in the capital and northern Virginia.
Duringh is tenure, Sundberg oversaw the investigation into the January 6 Capitol attack and the 2021 probe into pipe bombs found at political party headquarters.
His career also includes stints overseeing counterterrorism operations, hostage rescue missions, and SWAT deployments.
Challenging the weaponization of justice
In his campaign announcement, Sundberg accused the current White House of weaponizing the Department of Justice against political opponents. He criticized the use of the National Guard to "intimidate our own citizens" and expressed concern over the seizure of powers intended to be balanced across the government.
Democrats have frequently criticized the administration and Attorney General Pam Bondi for pressuring the DOJ to investigate figures such as former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Sundberg argued that Congress must return to being a "co-equal branch" to push back against an administration that thinks it is "above the law."
A crowded race for Hoyer's seat
Sundberg enters a primary field that already includes high-profile contenders. Retiring Rep Steny Hoyer has endorsed Maryland House Delegate Adrian Boafo, one of his former campaign managers, for the position.
Other Democratic candidates include former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn, business founder Quincy Bareebe, and emergency services consultant Harry Jarin.
The district is rated as a "solid Democratic" seat by the Cook Political Report, making the primary the likely decisive contest. Sundberg maintains that his experience defending the Constitution from "threats abroad and at home" makes him uniquely qualified to protect democracy from current executive overreach.
