• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
PoliticsU.S. Politics

Who Is the Second Whistleblower? What We Know so far

By
Terry Collins
Terry Collins
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Terry Collins
Terry Collins
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 7, 2019, 2:03 PM ET

A second whistleblower came forward over the weekend with alleged first-hand knowledge of the events that led to an impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump.

Here’s what we know so far.

The second whistleblower is represented by the same lawyer as the first.

Attorney Mark Zaid told multiple news outlets on Sunday that he and other lawyers on his legal team are now representing both of the whistleblowers.

One of Zaid’s legal partners, Andrew Bakaj, who also is a former CIA officer, tweeted Sunday that they represent “multiple whistleblowers”—which could even mean there are more than the current two.

“IC WHISTLEBLOWER UPDATE: I can confirm that my firm and my team represent multiple whistleblowers in connection to the underlying August 12, 2019, disclosure to the Intelligence Community Inspector General. No further comment at this time,” Bakaj tweeted.

The second whistleblower has not filed a separate complaint.

Zaid has stated that the second whistleblower has not filed a separate complaint and doesn’t need to. Why? Because anyone who speaks to the inspector watchdog has made a protected disclosure and is now a whistleblower under law, according to Zaid.

The second whistleblower works in the intelligence field.

In a text message to the Associated Press, Zaid said that the second whistleblower, like the first, also works in the intelligence field.

The second whistleblower could thwart Trump’s attempts to discredit the first.

It’s almost a certainty that House Democrats will want to the question the second whistleblower. If the new whistleblower’s information backs up the initial whistleblower’s complaint, which Zaid says it does, it cold weaken Trump’s claims that the complaint was “inaccurate” and that the first whistleblower provided false information.

More must-read stories from Fortune:

—A running list of questions on the impeachment inquiry, answered
—White House claims Trump impeachment inquiry violates procedure
—5 lessons history has taught us about impeachment
—What is CrowdStrike, the company Trump mentioned during his Ukraine call?
—How the circumstances around Donald Trump’s impeachment inquiry differ from Bill Clinton’s
—How whistleblowers have taken down titans of American business
Follow Fortune on Flipboard to stay up-to-date on the latest news and analysis.

About the Author
By Terry Collins
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Politics

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Politics

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before boarding Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport on March 23, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida.
EnergyIran
Trump’s trillion-dollar TACO that wasn’t: Iran confronts the master of the deal with a partner he can’t bully
By Eva RoytburgMarch 24, 2026
38 minutes ago
abortion
Politicsabortion
Republican states rush to ban abortion pills as surveys suggest they’re spiking in pro-life states
By Geoff Mulvihill and The Associated PressMarch 24, 2026
2 hours ago
mayes
PoliticsCongress
Kalshi and Polymarket rush to update their policies after realizing that Congress could destroy them
By Ken Sweet and The Associated PressMarch 24, 2026
2 hours ago
trump
Arts & EntertainmentWhite House
As planes crash at airports and war rages in Iran, Trump visits Graceland
By Adrian Sainz, Meg Kinnard and The Associated PressMarch 24, 2026
3 hours ago
trump
PoliticsWhite House
Trump hates voting by mail—except when he does it in Florida
By Bill Barrow and The Associated PressMarch 24, 2026
3 hours ago
United States President Donald Trump walks toward the White House upon his arrival in Washington, DC, from Memphis, Tennessee, United States, on March 23, 2026.
EconomyIran
Wall Street is ‘bewitched’ by positive news on Iran, says UBS, and investors want to believe the war is over without verifiable information
By Eleanor PringleMarch 24, 2026
5 hours ago

Most Popular

Commentary
The Treasury just declared the U.S. insolvent. The media missed it
By Fortune EditorsMarch 23, 2026
1 day ago
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of March 23, 2026
By Fortune EditorsMarch 23, 2026
1 day ago
Economy
It took 200 years for national debt to hit $1 trillion. Annual interest alone now exceeds that—a 'crushing legacy we must reverse,' says budget chair
By Fortune EditorsMarch 23, 2026
1 day ago
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of March 23, 2026
By Fortune EditorsMarch 23, 2026
1 day ago
Health
Trump has TACO'd again, this time in Iran, sparking a $1.7 trillion stock market rally in minutes, even as peace talks are in question
By Fortune EditorsMarch 23, 2026
1 day ago
Economy
Larry Fink says today's economic anxiety stems from people increasingly feeling like capitalism isn't working for them
By Fortune EditorsMarch 23, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.