EXCLUSIVE — FBI whistleblower and former Special Agent Stephen Friend said he’s “lived a few years over the last few months,” and now, he is putting his story on paper.

Friend sat down for an exclusive interview with the Washington Examiner to talk about his new memoir, what he saw during his time in the FBI on the Jan. 6 investigations, and the moment he decided to blow the whistle.

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Friend, a 12-year veteran of the FBI, was declared AWOL from the FBI when he shared concerns regarding the investigations into Jan. 6 with his supervisor.

He told the Washington Examiner about one moment in particular that was “very disturbing” when he was sent to speak with a possible Jan. 6 suspect.

"I drove to this gentleman's residence, knocked on his door, and said, 'I'm here from the FBI. We're looking into Jan. 6. Were you at the Capitol that day?'" Friend said. "And he said, 'No, that was the day of my son's funeral.' So, I had to make that man relive potentially the worst day of his life."

In addition to sharing his account of the investigations, Friend spoke about how his life has changed since his whistleblower disclosure. After being suspended from the FBI for months without pay, Friend accepted a role at the Center for Renewing America as a senior fellow on domestic intelligence and security services.

In this interview, Friend spoke about his new role, what people can expect from his new memoir, how his world was turned upside down, and his mission to preserve every citizen's constitutional rights.

“I never sought this path for myself. I had my dream job,” Friend said. “The decision I made was tied to the oath that I took. I took the oath to protect the constitution. … I truly believe that raising the flag is consistent with my oath of office.”

The FBI and Department of Justice sent a statement to the Washington Examiner in response to Friend’s memoir announcement.

“The FBI’s top priority is to detect and stop terrorist attacks against the American people," the statement said. "We focus on individuals who commit or intend to commit violence and criminal activity that constitutes a federal crime or poses a threat to national security. We do not investigate ideology and we do not investigate cases based on a person’s political views."

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"The FBI’s authority to investigate a case as domestic terrorism requires the existence of a potential criminal federal violation, the unlawful use or threat of force or violence, and ideological motivation of any type," they added. "We follow the facts of each case and classify our investigations accordingly and appropriately. We are committed to upholding the constitutional rights of all Americans and will never open an investigation based solely on First Amendment activity.”

Friend’s memoir, True Blue: My Journey from Beat Cop to Suspended FBI Whistleblower, will be released on July 18, 2023.