Trump (Image: Getty)
Bombshell FBI documents show Donald Trump was probed for acting as a “Russian agent.” Newly declassified files released by the White House reveal the FBI opened a secret investigation, codenamed Oxferd Comma, after Mr Trump fired then-FBI director James Comey in May 2017.
The inquiry formed part of the FBI’s wider Crossfire Hurricane investigation into alleged links between Mr Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and Russia. According to a White House official, investigators examined whether the president was acting as an asset for Russia, despite the theory not being backed up by the evidence. The official said the case was opened following Mr Trump’s decision to dismiss Comey before later being folded into Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s wider Russia investigation. The White House official said the inquiry was ultimately found not to have any merit when Mueller’s investigation concluded. “I was unaware that the predicate for the obstruction included a claim that Donald Trump was somehow acting on behalf of Vladimir Putin,” the official said.
James Comey was dismissed as FBI director by Donald Trump in May 2017 (Image: Getty)
The official added: “The short of it is, almost everything in the FBI’s possession at that point had debunked or ruled out that Trump or his campaign was colluding with Russia at that time.”
The case was designated as sensitive, which the White House official said is generally done to keep an investigation off the books from other FBI agents.
The official said the agents who opened the case believed it would be the “least intrusive” way to address what they considered to be a serious national security risk.
Mr Trump dismissed Comey in May 2017, just months into his first term as president.
The White House initially said Comey had been removed over his handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while serving as secretary of state.
However, Mueller’s report later said Mr Trump had become frustrated because Comey refused to publicly state that the president was not personally under investigation over possible ties to Russia.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller later took over the wider Russia investigation (Image: Getty)
Comey’s dismissal ultimately became the catalyst for a wider investigation into Mr Trump.
Following his firing, then-Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Mueller as special counsel to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election and any potential links to the Trump campaign.
Mueller ultimately found no evidence that members of the Trump campaign “conspired or coordinated” with Russia.
However, his report did describe some contacts between campaign figures and individuals linked to the Russian government.
Mr Trump has repeatedly accused the FBI and other US intelligence agencies of conducting unethical investigations into his campaign and presidency.
He has also vowed to launch investigations of his own.
The president has repeatedly criticised Comey, previously describing him as a “dirty cop”.
Comey has, in turn, called Mr Trump “morally unfit” to serve as president.
Earlier this year, Comey was charged with threatening Mr Trump’s life over a social media post showing seashells arranged to form the numbers “86 47”.
Comey has denied wrongdoing, claiming he is being vindictively and selectively prosecuted, an allegation the Justice Department has denied.
Earlier this year, Comey was charged with threatening Mr Trump’s life over a social media post showing seashells arranged to form the numbers “86 47”, a charge he denies.
He has alleged he is being vindictively and selectively prosecuted, a claim rejected by the Justice Department.