DOJ report says Biden White House pressured agency to target parents protesting CRT and Covid mandates

The Department of Justice released a 273‑page report on Oct. 5, 2026 that alleges senior Biden administration officials pressured the agency to target parents who protested critical race theory instruction and COVID‑19 vaccine mandates in school districts.

Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the "2026 Report to Expose the Weaponization of Government Against Parents in Schools" and posted it publicly, stating the findings confirm that the Garland memorandum was produced under White House direction to bring federal pressure to bear on dissenting parents.

The report indicates that the National School Boards Association (NSBA) sent a September 2021 letter to President Joe Biden urging the federal government to treat protesting parents as a domestic‑terrorism threat. After the letter, the White House and senior DOJ officials, including Deputy Attorney General staff, pushed for a memo that would allow federal law‑enforcement involvement.

According to the document, the DOJ opened 25 preliminary assessment files—referred to as Guardian assessments—into alleged "school board threats." Six assessments were handled by the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, 17 by its Criminal Investigations Division, and two by the Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate. None of the cases resulted in prosecution.

Internal DOJ emails quoted in the report show career officials and political appointees initially questioning the constitutionality of the request. One memo notes, "Officials in the Department of Justice, including both career officials and Biden Administration political appointees, initially pushed back on doing so, including by questioning the constitutionality of the request." Despite that pushback, senior leadership proceeded, citing pressure from the White House and the Office of the Deputy Attorney General.

FBI officials described the effort as "stupid," "ridiculous," and a "partisan exercise aimed at those who do not support the Administration." The memo also prompted the DOJ’s Weaponization Working Group to recommend that parents targeted in the assessments be allowed to review the files, that a disclaimer be added noting constitutional concerns, and that the department issue formal apologies where rights were violated.

In addition to DOJ actions, the report details coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, which issued a threat assessment labeling opposition to mask and vaccine mandates and CRT curricula as a potential public‑school threat.

The Justice Department’s statement accompanying the release reaffirmed its commitment to defending First Amendment rights and invited individuals who believe they were subject to unconstitutional conduct to come forward for review.

Moving forward, the DOJ plans to partner with the National Association of School Resource Officers to train school personnel on parents’ constitutional rights and to provide $1.5 million for related training programs.