Trevor Aaronson is an investigative journalist, author, and audio documentarian whose work explores the intersection of law enforcement, national security, and civil liberties. He is a contributing writer for The Intercept and the author of The Terror Factory: Inside the FBI’s Manufactured War on Terrorism, a groundbreaking book that exposed how the FBI used informants to manufacture terrorist plots in the years after 9/11.
Aaronson’s reporting has earned some of journalism’s highest honors, including a 2024 Peabody Award for Pulse: The Untold Story, an Audible documentary that revealed how the FBI spread false narratives following the Pulse nightclub mass shooting. He is the creator of multiple Audible Original series, including American ISIS, Into the Madness, and Hold Fast, as well as the podcast series Alphabet Boys (iHeart) and Chameleon: High Rollers (Sony/Campside). His work consistently blends gripping narrative with deep investigative rigor, often uncovering abuses of power and systemic failure.
He has received the Molly National Journalism Prize, the John Jay/Harry Frank Guggenheim Award for Excellence in Criminal Justice Reporting, the Data Journalism Award, and honors from the Online Journalism Awards and the National Headliner Awards. He is a former TED Fellow and was a 2020 ASU Future Security Fellow at New America.
In 2010, Aaronson co-founded the nonprofit Florida Center for Investigative Reporting. Under his editorial leadership, the organization’s investigations spurred changes to law and policy and earned recognition from Investigative Reporters and Editors, the National Headliner Awards, the National Awards for Education Reporting, and the Green Eyeshade Awards.