Russia investigation origins counter-narrative#Durham investigation

{{Main|Crossfire Hurricane (FBI investigation)|Mueller special counsel investigation}}

U.S. government investigations into Russian election interference and links between Russian intelligence and Trump associates{{Cite news |work=NBC News |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/trump-promotes-conspiracy-theory-clinton-s-deleted-emails-are-ukraine-n1058726 |date=September 25, 2019 |first=Jane C. |last=Timm |title=Trump promotes conspiracy theory: Clinton's deleted emails are in Ukraine |access-date=October 20, 2019 |language=en}} started with the when the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) launched the Crossfire Hurricane investigation (July 31, 2016, to May 17, 2017),{{Cite news |first=Eric |last=Lutz |date=July 24, 2019 |website=Vanity Fair |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/07/republicans-use-mueller-testimony-to-push-conspiracy-theories-jim-jordan-matt-gaetz |title=Republicans Use Mueller's Silence to Push Conspiracy Theories |access-date=October 20, 2019 |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Sullivan |first=Andy |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-whistleblower-barr-explaine-idUSKBN1WG4QZ |title=Explainer: Barr gives top priority to investigating the investigators of Russian meddling |date=October 2, 2019 |work=Reuters |access-date=October 21, 2019 }} and continued with the "Mueller investigation" (or Special Counsel investigation, 2017–2019) established after Trump fired FBI director James Comey (raising suspicions of obstruction of justice).{{Cite web |first=Eric |last=Tucker |url=https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elections-james-comey-politics-russia-c565f440467e4fd5cd6a11d7c8abc842 |title=AP FACT CHECK: Trump defense wrong about FBI investigation |date=January 28, 2020 |website=Associated Press |access-date=29 September 2023 }}

The FBI opened the Crossfire Hurricane investigation in July 2016, including a special focus on links between Trump associates and Russian officials and spies and suspected coordination between the Trump campaign and the Russian government. Russian attempts to interfere in the election were first disclosed publicly by members of the United States Congress in September 2016, confirmed by US intelligence agencies in October 2016, and further detailed by the Director of National Intelligence office in January 2017. The dismissal of James Comey, the FBI director, by President Trump in May 2017, was partly because of Comey's investigation of the Russian interference.

The Mueller investigation concluded that Russian interference was "sweeping and systematic" and "violated U.S. criminal law", and indicted Russian citizens and Russian organizations. The investigation "identified numerous links between the Russian government and the Trump campaign". The investigation resulted in charges against 34 individuals and 3 companies, 8 guilty pleas, and a conviction at trial.{{cite web |title=All The Criminal Charges To Emerge From Robert Mueller's Investigation |url=https://www.npr.org/2018/12/09/643444815/all-the-criminal-charges-to-emerge-so-far-from-robert-muellers-investigation |access-date=2020-12-24 |website=NPR |date=December 9, 2018 |language=en |last1=Breslow |first1=Jason}}{{cite magazine|title=Here Are All of the Indictments, Guilty Pleas and Convictions From Robert Mueller's Investigation |url=https://time.com/5556331/mueller-investigation-indictments-guilty-pleas/ |date=15 November 2019 |access-date=2020-12-24 |magazine=Time}} It concluded that though the Trump campaign welcomed the Russian activities and expected to benefit from them, there was insufficient evidence to bring any conspiracy or coordination charges against Trump or his associates,{{efn|name="conspiracy or coordination"|{{cite web |last=Megerian |first=Chris |date=2019-04-18 |title=Mueller finds no conspiracy, but report shows Trump welcomed Russian help |url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-mueller-report-trump-russia-collusion-20190418-story.html |access-date=2021-02-01 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last1=Ostriker |first1=Rebecca |last2=Puzzanghera |first2=Jim |last3=Finucane |first3=Martin |last4=Datar |first4=Saurabh |last5=Uraizee |first5=Irfan |last6=Garvin |first6=Patrick |title=What the Mueller report says about Trump and more |date=18 April 2019 |url=https://apps.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/graphics/2019/03/mueller-report/ |website=The Boston Globe |access-date=April 22, 2019 |archive-date=April 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419073427/https://apps.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/graphics/2019/03/mueller-report/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last1=Law |first1=Tara |title=Here Are the Biggest Takeaways From the Mueller Report |date=April 18, 2019 |url=https://time.com/5567077/mueller-report-release/ |publisher=Time |access-date=April 22, 2019 |archive-date=April 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422043335/http://time.com/5567077/mueller-report-release/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web | last1=Desiderio | first1=Andrew | last2=Cheney | first2=Kyle | title=Mueller refutes Trump's 'no collusion, no obstruction' line | website=Politico | date=July 24, 2019 | url=https://www.politico.eu/article/mueller-refutes-trumps-no-collusion-no-obstruction-line/ | access-date=April 21, 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Morais |first1=Betsy |title=Collusion by any other name |url=https://www.cjr.org/first_person/trump-mueller-collusion.php |date=April 18, 2019 |work=Columbia Journalism Review |access-date=April 23, 2019}}[https://www.justice.gov/storage/report.pdf Mueller Report], vol. I, p. 2: In evaluating whether evidence about collective action of multiple individuals constituted a crime, we applied the framework of conspiracy law, not the concept of "collusion." In so doing, the Office recognized that the word "collud[e]" was used in communications with the Acting Attorney General confirming certain aspects of the investigation's scope and that the term has frequently been invoked in public reporting about the investigation. But collusion is not a specific offense or theory of liability found in the United States Code, nor is it a term of art in federal criminal law. For those reasons, the Office's focus in analyzing questions of joint criminal liability was on conspiracy as defined in federal law.{{Cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-mueller-report-trump-russia-collusion-20190418-story.html |first=Chris |last=Megerian |title=Mueller finds no conspiracy, but report shows Trump welcomed Russian help |date=April 18, 2019 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US |access-date=October 21, 2019}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/03/us/politics/trump-ukraine-conspiracy.html |title=How a Fringe Theory About Ukraine Took Root in the White House |access-date=February 25, 2022 |last=Shane |first=Scott |date=October 3, 2019 |newspaper=The New York Times }}}} and that they were prevented from reaching a conclusion on whether Trump had obstructed justice by a Justice Department guideline prohibiting the federal indictment of a sitting president.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/04/18/mueller-report-says-trump-campaign-eager-benefit-russias-interference-collusion-investigation/3379332002/ |date=2019-04-18 |title=Trump's aides were eager to take Russian dirt on Clinton. But it wasn't a conspiracy, Mueller report said|first=Kristine|last=Phillips |website=USA Today }}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/24/us/politics/mueller-report-summary.html|title=Mueller Finds No Trump-Russia Conspiracy, but Stops Short of Exonerating President on Obstruction|first1=Mark|last1=Mazzetti|first2=Katie|last2=Benner|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 24, 2019}}[https://www.justice.gov/storage/report.pdf Mueller Report], Vol. II, p. 1.

{{blockquote| Our investigation found multiple acts by the President that were capable of exerting undue influence over law enforcement investigations, including the Russian-interference and obstruction investigations. The incidents were often carried out through one-on-one meetings in which the President sought to use his official power outside of usual channels. These actions ranged from efforts to remove the Special Counsel and to reverse the effect of the Attorney General's recusal; to the attempted use of official power to limit the scope of the investigation; to direct and indirect contacts with witnesses with the potential to influence their testimony.}}

The report did not recommend the prosecution of Trump because based on the opinion by the Office of Legal Counsel it did not have the authority to do so. According to the Office, "the indictment or criminal prosecution of a sitting President would impermissibly undermine the capacity of the executive branch to perform its constitutionally assigned functions" in violation of "the constitutional separation of powers... Accordingly, while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."

An investigation by the United States Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General published in 2019 found the origin of the FBI investigation was properly predicated on a legal and factual basis, and found no support for several conspiracy theories about the origin promoted by conservatives. On November 22, 2019, The Washington Post reported that the forthcoming report had found the origin of the FBI investigation was properly predicated on a legal and factual basis, and the report did not support several conservative conspiracy theories about the origin.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/justice-dept-watchdog-finds-political-bias-did-not-taint-top-officials-running-the-fbis-russia-probe-but-documents-other-errors/2019/11/22/4b2f51de-0d48-11ea-97ac-a7ccc8dd1ebc_story.html |access-date=February 24, 2022 |date=November 22, 2019 |title=Justice Dept. watchdog finds political bias did not taint top officials running the FBI's Russia probe but documents errors |last1=Nakashima |first1=Ellen |last2=Zapotosky |first2=Matt |newspaper=The Washington Post}} On December 9, 2019, US Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz testified to Congress that the FBI showed no political bias at the initiation of the investigation into Trump and possible connections with Russia;{{Cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/read-full-text-doj-ig-michael-horowitz-s-report-origins-n1098431 |date=December 9, 2019 |title=Read the full text: Justice Department watchdog report into origins of Russia probe |website=NBC News |language=en |access-date=December 9, 2019}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/inspector-general-report-trump-russia-investigation/2019/12/09/d5940d88-184c-11ea-a659-7d69641c6ff7_story.html|title=FBI was justified in opening Trump campaign probe, but case plagued by 'serious failures,' inspector general finds |last=Barrett |first=Devlin |first2=Matt |last2=Zapotosky |first3=Karoun |last3=Demirjian |first4=Ellen |last4=Nakashima |date=December 9, 2019 |newspaper=The Washington Post |language=en|access-date=December 9, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/09/fbi-russia-probe-report-released-by-justice-department-watchdog.html|title=Justice Department watchdog finds Trump-Russia probe was not tainted by political bias|last=Breuninger|first=Kevin|date=December 9, 2019|website=CNBC|language=en|access-date=December 9, 2019}} In a Senate hearing on December 11, 2019,{{cite web |last1=Cournoyer |first1=Caroline |last2=Herridge |first2=Catherine |last3=Watson |first3=Kathryn |last4=Quinn |first4=Melissa |date=December 11, 2019 |title=Horowitz defends his Trump-Russia report but is "deeply concerned" about FBI's surveillance failures |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/live-news/inspector-general-report-michael-horowitz-testimony-justice-department-russian-investigation-today/ |access-date=December 29, 2019 |work=CBS News}} he stated that he "could not rule out political bias as a possible motivation for the 17 errors the FBI made in applications for the Carter Page surveillance."{{cite web |last=Dilanian |first=Ken |date=December 11, 2019 |title=DOJ watchdog tells Senate he has deep concerns about FBI errors in Russia probe |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/doj-watchdog-tell-senate-he-has-deep-concerns-about-fbi-n1099636 |access-date=December 29, 2019 |work=NBC News}}{{cite web |last1=Lucas |first1=Ryan |last2=Ewing |first2=Philip |date=December 9, 2019 |title=DOJ Watchdog On Russia Probe: No Evidence Of Bias, But Problems With Surveillance |url=https://www.npr.org/2019/12/09/785525132/justice-department-watchdog-report-on-russia-investigation-due-monday |access-date=December 29, 2019 |work=NPR}}{{cite web |last=Budryk |first=Zack |date=December 11, 2019 |title=Horowitz: 'We found no bias' in decision to open probe |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/474106-horowitz-we-found-no-bias |access-date=December 29, 2019 |website=The Hill}} In a subsequent analysis of 25 unrelated FISA warrant requests, Horowitz found a pattern of similar errors that suggested systemic sloppiness by the FBI, rather than an effort to single out Page.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/31/us/politics/fbi-fisa-wiretap-trump.html |access-date=February 25, 2022 |title=Problems in F.B.I. Wiretap Applications Go Beyond Trump Aide Surveillance, Review Finds|first=Charlie|last=Savage |newspaper=The New York Times |date=March 31, 2020}}

A further investigation by the Republican-controlled Senate Intelligence Committee published in 2020 confirmed the intelligence community's claim that Putin's "interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election" in favor of Trump was unprecedented in its "manner and aggressiveness".{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=Kevin |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/04/21/senate-intel-committee-backs-finding-russia-helped-trump-win/2998433001/|title=Senate committee backs intelligence agencies' findings that Russia meddled in 2016 election |date=April 21, 2020 |work=USA Today|access-date=April 22, 2020 |last2=Phillips |first2=Kristine }}{{cite news |last1=Knutson |first1=Jacob |url=https://www.axios.com/senate-inteligence-committee-russia-trump-b2f29fe2-4373-4cb5-9bc6-0f071a0be544.html |title=Senate Intel affirms that Russia interfered to help Trump in 2016 |date=April 21, 2020 |work=Axios |access-date=April 22, 2020}}

According to Trump, the Russia investigation should never have happened in the first place, and that it was a plot by law enforcement and intelligence officials to prevent him from winning the 2016 election, and then, once he won the election, to frustrate his "America First" agenda.{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/19/us/politics/durham-review-fbi-witnesses.html |title=Review of Russia Inquiry Grows as F.B.I. Witnesses Are Questioned |last1=Goldman |first1=Adam |date=October 19, 2019 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=October 23, 2019 |last2=Rashbaum |first2=William K. |language=en-US }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.ussc.edu.au/analysis/its-a-sideshow-we-both-must-focus-on-indo-pacific |first=Simon |last=Jackman |date=October 2, 2019 |title=It's a sideshow — we both must focus on Indo-Pacific |website=United States Studies Centre |publisher=University of Sydney |access-date=October 23, 2019}} Trump rejects the conclusion of US intelligence agencies that Russia interfered in the 2016 election on his behalf, suggesting, without evidence, that hostile American officials may have planted false information that led to the Russia inquiry.

Trump frequently expressed that those findings called into question the legitimacy of his presidency. He attacked the Russia investigation over 1,100 times by February 2019, claiming that it was fabricated as an excuse for Hillary Clinton losing the Electoral College in 2016, that it was an "illegal hoax", and that the FBI had refused to investigate the "real collusion" between the Democrats and Russia – and later, Ukraine.{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/02/19/us/politics/trump-attacks-obstruction-investigation.html |title=Trump Has Publicly Attacked the Russia Investigation More Than 1,100 Times |last1=Buchanan |first1=Larry |date=February 19, 2019 |work=The New York Times|access-date=October 23, 2019 |last2=Yourish |first2=Karen |language=en-US }} However, three years after the election the FBI Director appointed by Trump, Christopher A. Wray, stated: "We have no information that indicates that Ukraine interfered with the 2016 presidential election. ... [A]s far as the [2020] election itself goes, we think Russia represents the most significant threat."{{Cite web|title=FBI Director Chris Wray reacts to DOJ watchdog report on Russia investigation: Exclusive|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fbi-director-chris-wray-reacts-doj-watchdog-report/story?id=67605418|access-date=December 10, 2019|website=ABC News |first1=Pierre |last1=Thomas |first2=Lucien |last2=Bruggeman |date=December 9, 2019 |language=en}}

From the outset, conservatives tried to delegitimize the Mueller investigation. Republican Party leaders suggested that Robert Mueller's inquiry stemmed from a plot by members of the Obama Administration and career intelligence officials—an alleged "deep state"—to undermine Trump.{{Cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/ag-barr-expands-controversial-review-origin-russia-investigation-n1068971 |date=October 19, 2019 |work=NBC News |first1=Ken |last1=Dilanian |first2=Julia |last2=Ainsley |first3=Tom |last3=Winter |title=AG Barr expands mysterious review into origin of Russia investigation |access-date=October 21, 2019 |language=en}}

On April 2, 2019, Trump personally urged investigation into the origins of the Mueller investigation.{{Cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-mueller-report-oranges-wind-farms-noise-cancer-a8852111.html |work=The Independent |first=Tom |last=Embury-Dennis |title=Trump repeatedly fails in attempt to say 'origins' then claims noise from wind farms causes cancer |date=April 3, 2019 |access-date=October 20, 2019 |language=en}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2019/apr/03/trump-asks-journalists-to-look-into-the-oranges-of-the-mueller-investigation-video |title=Trump asks journalists to look into the 'oranges' of the Mueller investigation – video |date=April 3, 2019 |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=October 20, 2019 |language=en-GB }} In response, Democrats and some former law enforcement officials expressed concern that Attorney General William Barr was "using the justice department to chase unsubstantiated conspiracy theories" that could cast doubt on the Mueller report's findings.{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/oct/24/justice-department-opens-criminal-inquiry-into-origins-of-russia-investigation-source |title=Justice department opens criminal inquiry into origins of Russia investigation – report|date=October 25, 2019 |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=October 25, 2019 |language=en-GB }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/24/us/politics/john-durham-criminal-investigation.html |title=Justice Dept. Is Said to Open Criminal Inquiry Into Its Own Russia Investigation |last1=Benner|first1=Katie |last2=Goldman|first2=Adam |date=October 24, 2019 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=October 25, 2019}}

{{see also|Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections#Trump's "Russiagate hoax" claims}}

Trump and his defenders have used terms like "Russia hoax",{{efn|name="hoax"|{{cite web | last=Kruzel | first=John | title=Fact-checking Fox News analyst's pro-Trump 'The Russia Hoax' | website=Politifact | date=June 21, 2017 | url=https://www.politifact.com/article/2018/aug/02/fact-checking-fox-news-analysts-pro-trump-book-rus/ | access-date=May 3, 2025}}{{cite web | last=Spencer | first=Saranac Hale | title=Partisan Claims of 'Russia Hoax' Revived Ahead of 2020 Election | website=FactCheck.org | date=October 9, 2020 | url=https://www.factcheck.org/2020/10/partisan-claims-of-russia-hoax-revived-ahead-of-2020-election/ | access-date=April 8, 2025}}{{cite web | last=Dilanian | first=Ken | title=FBI agent who helped launch Russia probe says Trump was 'compromised' | website=NBC News | date=September 7, 2020 | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/fbi-agent-who-helped-launch-russia-investigation-says-trump-was-n1239442 | access-date=April 8, 2025 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200907150538/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/fbi-agent-who-helped-launch-russia-investigation-says-trump-was-n1239442 | archive-date=September 7, 2020 | url-status=live}}{{cite web | last=Woodward | first=Calvin | title=AP Fact Check: Trump lashes out on Russia probe after Friday's indictment | website=PBS News | date=February 19, 2018 | url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/ap-fact-check-following-mueller-indictments-friday-trump-lashes-out-on-russia-probe | access-date=April 10, 2025}}{{cite web | last=Watkins | first=Eli | title=White House officials explain Trump's 'Russian hoax' line | website=CNN | date=August 5, 2018 | url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/05/politics/white-house-trump-russia/index.html | access-date=April 8, 2025}}{{cite web | last=Benen | first=Steve | title=GOP uses Durham report to pretend the Russia scandal wasn't real | website=MSNBC | date=May 17, 2023 | url=https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/gop-uses-durham-report-pretend-russia-scandal-wasnt-real-rcna84903 | access-date=April 8, 2025 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230518073235/https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/gop-uses-durham-report-pretend-russia-scandal-wasnt-real-rcna84903 | archive-date=May 18, 2023 | url-status=live}}{{cite web | last=Corn | first=David | title=Trump picks Rubio and Stefanik once confirmed Putin attacked the 2016 election to help Trump | website=Mother Jones | date=November 14, 2024 | url=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/11/trump-cabinet-picks-marco-rubio-elise-stefanik-once-confirmed-putin-attacked-the-2016-election-to-help-trump/ | access-date=April 8, 2025}}{{cite web | last=Nichols | first=Tom | title=Ed Martin Has Completely Disqualified Himself | website=The Atlantic | date=April 17, 2025 | url=https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2025/04/ed-martin-russian-tv-trump/682488/ | access-date=April 17, 2025 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250417161303/https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2025/04/ed-martin-russian-tv-trump/682488/ | archive-date=April 17, 2025 | url-status=live}}{{cite web | last=Graham | first=David A. | title=The Russia Hoax Is Still Not a Hoax | website=The Atlantic | date=October 11, 2024 | url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2024/10/trump-dictators-putin-health-bob-woodward/680224/ | access-date=April 8, 2025 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241013140736/https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2024/10/trump-dictators-putin-health-bob-woodward/680224/ | archive-date=October 13, 2024 | url-status=live}}{{Cite magazine | last=Frum | first=David | author-link=David Frum | date=November 25, 2021 | title=It Wasn't a Hoax | url=https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/11/trump-russia-senate-intelligence-report/620815/ | access-date=December 11, 2021 | magazine=The Atlantic | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211125123634/https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/11/trump-russia-senate-intelligence-report/620815/ | archive-date=November 25, 2021 | url-status=live}}{{cite web | last=Bump | first=Philip | title=Trump presented his Russia hoax theory to a court. It went poorly. | website=The Washington Post | date=September 9, 2022 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/09/09/trump-2016-russia-clinton/ | access-date=April 8, 2025}}}} "Russian collusion hoax", and "Russiagate hoax"{{cite web | last=DiResta | first=Renee | last2=Jurecic | first2=Quinta | title=The Rise and Fall of America's Response to Foreign Election Meddling | website=Lawfare | date=February 20, 2025 | url=https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-rise-and-fall-of-america-s-response-to-foreign-election-meddling | access-date=April 18, 2025 | page=}} to delegitimize accusations and investigations of alleged impropriety, cooperation, collusion, or conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the government, officials, and intelligence agencies of Russia. They assert that such accusations are a hoax perpetrated against Trump by his critics and that he is the victim of a witch hunt{{cite web | last=Young | first=Cathy | title=No, 'Russiagate' Wasn't the Hoax That Team Trump Claims It Was | website=Cato Institute | date=October 25, 2022 | url=https://www.cato.org/commentary/no-russiagate-wasnt-hoax-team-trump-claims-it-was | access-date=April 8, 2025}} and a "conspiracy theory … invented, funded, and spread by President Trump's political rivals".{{cite web | last=Bump | first=Philip | title=A new lens into the ongoing folly of Republican 'Russia hoax' rhetoric | website=The Washington Post | date=February 21, 2024 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/21/smirnov-russia-republicans-bidens-fbi/ | access-date=May 1, 2025}}

{{Trump–Ukraine scandal series}}

Core elements of the counter-narrative include these claims:

• That the Steele dossier had a key role in triggering the overall Russian interference investigation. Arguments against the dossier are irrelevant to this claim as the FBI did not possess or use the dossier when they opened the investigation. The Inspector General concluded that it did not play any role in the initiation of the Crossfire Hurricane Investigation;{{Cite web |title=How Old Claims Compare to IG Report|url=https://www.factcheck.org/2019/12/how-old-claims-compare-to-ig-report/ |last1=Kiely |first1=Eugene |last2=Robertson |first2=Lori |date=December 10, 2019 |website=FactCheck.org |language=en-US|access-date=May 30, 2020|last3=Farley|first3=Robert}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.vox.com/2019/3/22/18277089/fox-news-steele-dossier-lie-trump-witch-hunt |work=Vox |title=Fox News has normalized a lie about the origins of the Russia investigation |last=Rupar |first=Aaron |date=March 22, 2019 |access-date=October 23, 2019 |language=en}} the accusation that it was fraudulent,{{Cite web |url=https://www.factcheck.org/2018/02/trumps-spin-democratic-memo/ |access-date=February 25, 2022 |website=FactCheck.org |title=Trump's Spin on Democratic Memo|first=Eugene|last=Kiely|date=February 27, 2018}} and that "the dossier's partisan associations" were "obscured" from the FISA court in the application for surveillance Carter Page. In fact, the first FISA application did contain a footnote added at the insistence of Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart Evans about the potential political bias of the Steele material.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/10/01/barrs-probing-australia-great-britain-italy-suggest-conspiratorial-focus/ |date=October 1, 2019 |title=Barr's probing of Australia, Britain and Italy suggests a conspiracy focus |last=Blake |first=Aaron |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=October 23, 2019 |quote=[the FISA] application to surveil Page included a lengthy footnote explaining that the information was funded by political interests.) }} Conservatives also question the FBI's assessment of the credibility of Christopher Steele, a former British intelligence officer who ran the MI6 Russia desk from 2006 to 2009. This concern was irrelevant to the question of the origins of the investigation.
• That the investigations and surveillance were illegal and treasonous "spying"{{cite news |last=Wagner |first=John |title=Trump warns of 'long jail sentences' for those involved in 'spying' on his 2016 campaign |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=May 17, 2019 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-warns-of-long-jail-sentences-for-those-involved-in-spying-on-his-2016-campaign/2019/05/17/083b484c-7897-11e9-bd25-c989555e7766_story.html |access-date=May 17, 2019}} (the spygate conspiracy theory){{Cite news |url=https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-elections-politics-23b9456c12484b6cb31c93da269a6159 |work=Associated Press |first1=Mary Clare |last1=Jalonick |first2=Jonathan |last2=Lemire |title=Seething over Russia probe, Trump tears into 'spygate' |date=May 24, 2018 |access-date=October 23, 2019}} – a "FISA abuse" narrative,{{Cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2018/03/03/590273206/the-russia-investigations-is-fisa-abuse-out-of-steam-intel-committees-on-edge |date=March 3, 2018 |first=Philip |last=Ewing |work=NPR |title=The Russia Investigations: Is 'FISA Abuse' Out Of Steam? Intel Committees On Edge? |access-date=October 23, 2019 |language=en}} notably involving Susan Rice.{{Cite web |last=Kilgore |first=Ed |title=Susan Rice Becomes the Face of the Trump Counter-Narrative on Russia |date=April 4, 2017 |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/04/susan-rice-becomes-face-of-trump-counter-narrative-on-russia.html |work=Intelligencer |access-date=February 24, 2022 |language=en-us}} The use of the term "spying" in this context is disputed.{{cite web |last=Crowe |first=Jack |title=Comey on Barr's 'Spying' Claim: 'I Have No Idea What He's Talking About' |website=National Review |date=April 12, 2019 |url=https://www.nationalreview.com/news/james-comey-william-barrs-spying-claim-i-have-no-idea-what-hes-talking-about/ |access-date=April 14, 2019 |quote='When I hear that kind of language used, it's concerning, because the FBI and the Department of Justice conduct court-ordered electronic surveillance. I have never thought of that as spying.' }}{{cite web |last=Shortell |first=David |title=FBI Director Wray distances himself from Barr's use of 'spying' on Trump campaign |work=CNN |date=May 7, 2019 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/07/politics/wray-senate-hearing-spying/index.html |access-date=May 7, 2019 |quote="I believe that the FBI is engaged in investigative activity and part of investigative activity includes surveillance activity of different shapes and sizes. To me the key question is making sure that it's done by the book consistent with our lawful authorities."}}{{cite web |last1=Cheney |first1=Kyle |last2=Galioto |first2=Katie |title=Pelosi: Barr is 'going off the rails' |website=Politico |date=April 10, 2019 |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2019/04/10/pelosi-trusts-mueller-not-barr-1266984 |access-date=April 15, 2019}} James Comey{{cite interview |first=James |last=Comey |authorlink=James Comey |interviewer=Anderson Cooper |title=Transcript: Town Hall Meeting with Former FBI Director James Comey. |work=CNN |date=May 9, 2019 |url=http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1905/09/se.01.html |access-date=May 12, 2019}} and James A. Baker have described the investigations as necessary, appropriate, legal, and apolitical,{{cite news |last=Bump |first=Philip |title=The Deep State strikes back: Former FBI leaders rebut questions about the Russia investigation |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=May 10, 2019 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/05/10/deep-state-strikes-back-former-fbi-leaders-rebut-questions-about-russia-investigation/ |access-date=May 12, 2019}}{{cite web |last=Miller |first=Maggie |title=Former FBI lawyer defends agency's probe into Trump campaign officials |website=The Hill |date=May 10, 2019 |url=https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/fbi/443126-former-fbi-lawyer-defends-agencys-probe-into-trump-campaign |access-date=May 12, 2019 |quote="Baker emphasized that the FBI's investigation into Russian interference in the election did not focus on the Trump campaign officials' interactions with Russia until a 'trusted, reliable foreign partner' sent information to the agency that George Papadopoulos, a former campaign aide, was interacting with 'a person who claimed to have email dirt on Hillary Clinton... The important thing to remember...was the case was about Russia.... It was about Russia, period, full stop. That was the focus of the investigation. When the Papadopoulos information comes across our radar screen, it's coming across in the sense that we were always looking at Russia." }} and FBI Director Christopher A. Wray testified that he saw "no evidence the FBI illegally monitored President Donald Trump's campaign during the 2016 election."{{cite web |last1=Tucker |first1=Eric |last2=Balsamo |first2=Michael |title=FBI chief: No evidence of illegal spying on Trump campaign |website=Associated Press |date=May 7, 2019 |url=https://apnews.com/c6efe460414b401abb0e86f45099380f |access-date=May 14, 2019}}
• That the FBI and other institutions are "dangerously biased" against Trump (the deep state conspiracy theory),{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/30/us/politics/conservatives-mueller-fbi-republicans-trump.html |title=Republican Attacks on Mueller and F.B.I. Open New Rift in G.O.P. |last=Fandos |first=Nicholas |date=December 30, 2017 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=October 23, 2019 |language=en-US }} that Robert S. Mueller III's investigation was run by "13 [or 18] angry Democrats" and that Mueller was "highly conflicted", a claim debunked by Trump's own aides,{{Cite news |url=https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-politics-russia-e25c8e1df55c4adeaedc5ceeb5fe56e5 |first1=Hope |last1=Yen |first2=Calvin |last2=Woodward |title=AP FACT CHECK: Trump, AG spread untruths on Mueller Report |date=April 22, 2019 |access-date=October 23, 2019 |work=Associated Press }} and the investigation was part of a failed "attempted coup", based on private texts sent by Peter Strzok expressing opposition to a Trump presidency and speculation over removal of Trump under the Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution following his firing of James Comey.
• That anti-Trump forces inside the FBI actually entrapped his advisers, such as Michael Flynn{{Cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-flynn-entrapment-11544658915 |date=December 12, 2018 |title=The Flynn Entrapment |author=Editorial Board |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=November 4, 2021 |language=en}} and may have even planted evidence of Russian collusion.{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/05/trump-deep-state-coup-hysteria |magazine=Vanity Fair |date=May 23, 2018 |first=Isobel |last=Thompson |title=Trump's Fear of a Deep State Coup Has Become Full-Blown Hysteria |access-date=October 23, 2019 |language=en}}
• That Russian interference was not directed by Putin, was not as significant as the president's opponents insisted, or even decisive in the outcome of the election. Proponents point to the discrepancy in the intelligence community's report on Russian interference between the FBI and CIA's high confidence and the National Security Agency's moderate confidence.{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/nsa-differed-from-cia-others-on-russia-bounty-intelligence-11593534220 |access-date=February 25, 2022 |title=NSA Differed from CIA, Others on Russia Bounty Intelligence |last1=Lubold |first1=Gordon |last2=Strobel |first2=Warren P. |date=June 30, 2020 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal }}{{failed verification |date=February 2022 |reason=This is about the Russian bounty program, not the election interference. }}
• That the Mueller investigation ended in “the complete and total exoneration of President Trump". This line was used by Kayleigh McEnany shortly after she became White House Press Secretary. About a year earlier, Trump himself tweeted 'NO COLLUSION – NO OBSTRUCTION' on the day the Mueller report came out.{{cite news |last1=Kiely |first1=Eugene |title=White House Press Secretary Repeats Russia Talking Point |url=https://www.factcheck.org/2020/05/white-house-press-secretary-repeats-russia-talking-point/ |access-date=November 23, 2022 |website=FactCheck.org |publisher=Annenberg Public Policy Center |date=May 1, 2020}} FactCheck.org states that while it is true that the investigation “did not establish that the [Trump] Campaign conspired and coordinated with the Russian government in its election-interference activities," on the issue of obstruction of justice, the report itself specifically says the investigation "does not exonerate him". (See also: Mueller report#False "no collusion" claims)

The narrative has expanded to include the claim that Joseph Mifsud was not a Russian asset, but was a Western intelligence agent used as a counterintelligence trap for the Trump campaign,{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/06/us/politics/italy-russia-mifsud-trump.html |title=Italy's Connection to the Russia Investigation, Explained |last=Goldman |first=Adam |date=October 6, 2019 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=October 23, 2019 |language=en-US }} and elements of the conspiracy theories related to the Trump–Ukraine scandal; it posits that Ukraine, not Russia, was responsible for election interference. The theory further claimed that Ukraine had interfered in the elections at the behest of the Democratic Party to benefit Hillary Clinton's election campaign, and that they had planted evidence that Russia was responsible and had sought to help Trump.{{cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/crowdstrike-the-truth-about-trumps-insane-ukraine-server-conspiracy|title=The Truth About Trump's Insane Ukraine 'Server' Conspiracy|last=Poulsen|first=Kevin|date=September 25, 2019|newspaper=The Daily Beast|access-date=September 27, 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20191011184709/https://www.thedailybeast.com/crowdstrike-the-truth-about-trumps-insane-ukraine-server-conspiracy|archive-date=October 11, 2019|author-link=Kevin Poulsen}} US Attorney General William Barr has reportedly traveled in person to Italy (twice) and to the United Kingdom to try to build support for this claim.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-06/italy-s-spy-chief-met-twice-with-barr-to-aid-inquiry-repubblica |date=October 6, 2019 |work=Bloomberg News |first=Alessandro |last=Speciale |title=Italy's Spy Chief Met Twice With Barr to Aid Inquiry: Repubblica |access-date=October 24, 2019}} Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte contradicted this, stating that Italy had "played no role in the events leading to the Russia investigation".{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/23/world/europe/italy-trump-conspiracy-conte.html |title=Italy Did Not Fuel U.S. Suspicion of Russian Meddling, Prime Minister Says |last=Momigliano |first=Anna |date=October 23, 2019 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=October 25, 2019 |language=en-US }}

On February 19, 2020, numerous sources revealed that lawyers for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange told Westminster Magistrates' Court that Trump had Dana Rohrabacher visit Assange at the Ecuadoran Embassy in London on August 16, 2017. Assange had been in court fighting extradition to the United States on charges of computer intrusion as WikiLeaks had posted sensitive documents provided by whistleblower Chelsea Manning. During the August 16 meeting, Assange stated that Rohrabacher had made a quid pro quo offer of a presidential pardon to him, in exchange for Assange covering up Russian involvement by declaring that "Russia had nothing to do with the DNC leaks". Assange's lawyer said that he had evidence "that a quid pro quo was put to Assange by Rohrabacher, who was known as Putin's favorite congressman."{{cite news |last1=Booth |first1=William |last2=Nakashima |first2=Ellen |title=Assange lawyer claims congressman offered pardon on behalf of Trump in exchange for absolving Russia in WikiLeaks DNC case |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=February 19, 2020 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/assange-lawyer-claims-congressman-offered-pardon-on-behalf-of-trump-in-exchange-for-absolving-russia-in-wikileaks-dnc-case/2020/02/19/1befc894-534e-11ea-80ce-37a8d4266c09_story.html |access-date=February 19, 2020}}{{cite web |last=Hines |first=Nico |title=Trump Offered Assange Pardon if He Covered Up Russian Hack, WikiLeaks Founder's Lawyer Claims |website=The Daily Beast |date=February 19, 2020 |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-offered-assange-pardon-if-he-covered-up-russian-hack-court-hears |access-date=February 19, 2020}}{{cite web |last=Mangan |first=Dan |title=Trump offered WikiLeaks' Julian Assange a pardon if he covered up Russian hacking of Democrats, lawyer tells court |work=CNBC |date=February 19, 2020 |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/19/trump-offered-julian-assange-pardon-for-covering-up-russian-hacking.html |access-date=February 20, 2020}} White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham stated that Assange's claims were "a complete fabrication and a lie" and added that "the president barely knows Dana Rohrabacher other than he's an ex-congressman."{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/feb/19/donald-trump-offered-julian-assange-pardon-russia-hack-wikileaks |title=Donald Trump 'offered Julian Assange a pardon if he denied Russia link to hack' |newspaper=The Guardian |date=February 19, 2020 |access-date=February 19, 2020 |last1=Bowcott |first1=Owen |first2=Julian |last2=Borger}} Rohrabacher had previously confirmed the August 16 meeting, saying he and Assange talked about "what might be necessary to get him out" and discussed a presidential pardon in exchange for information on the theft of DNC emails that were published by WikiLeaks before the 2016 presidential election.{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-ca-essential-politics-updates-201708-htmlstory.html#rohrabacher-on-meeting-with-wikileaks-assange-we-talked-about-what-might-be-necessary-to-get-him-out |title=Rohrabacher on meeting with WikiLeaks' Assange: We talked about 'what might be necessary to get him out' |work=Los Angeles Times |date=August 17, 2017 |access-date=February 20, 2020 |last=Mai-Duc |first=Christine}}

The most notable proponent is Donald Trump himself. Following the May 2018 disclosure that FBI informant Stefan Halper had spoken with Trump campaign aides Carter Page, George Papadopoulos, and Sam Clovis, Trump advanced a conspiracy theory dubbed as Spygate, which claimed that the previous administration under Barack Obama paid to plant a spy inside Trump's 2016 presidential campaign to assist his rival, Hillary Clinton, win the 2016 US presidential election.{{cite web |last1=Tatum |first1=Sophie |title=Carter Page: I 'never found anything unusual' in conversations with FBI source |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/05/22/politics/carter-page-fbi-informant-cnn-tv/index.html |date=May 23, 2018 |work=CNN |access-date=June 2, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180523170622/https://edition.cnn.com/2018/05/22/politics/carter-page-fbi-informant-cnn-tv/index.html |archive-date=May 23, 2018 }} With no actual supporting evidence produced, Trump's allegations were widely described as blatantly false.{{cite web |last1=Beauchamp |first1=Zack |title="Spygate," the false allegation that the FBI had a spy in the Trump campaign, explained |url=https://www.vox.com/2018/5/25/17380212/spygate-trump-russia-spy-stefan-halper-fbi-explained |work=Vox |date=May 25, 2018 |access-date=June 2, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180528041047/https://www.vox.com/2018/5/25/17380212/spygate-trump-russia-spy-stefan-halper-fbi-explained |archive-date=May 28, 2018 }}{{cite news|title=With 'Spygate,' Trump Shows How He Uses Conspiracy Theories to Erode Trust|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/28/us/politics/trump-conspiracy-theories-spygate.html|last1=Davis|first1=Julie|last2=Haberman|first2=Maggie|work=The New York Times|date=May 28, 2018|access-date=May 29, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180528232738/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/28/us/politics/trump-conspiracy-theories-spygate.html|archive-date=May 28, 2018}}{{cite news |last1=Bump |first1=Philip |title=There is no evidence for 'Spygate' — but there is a reason Trump invented it |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2018/05/23/there-is-no-evidence-for-spygate-but-there-is-a-reason-that-trump-invented-it/ |date=May 23, 2018 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=June 1, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180531123003/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2018/05/23/there-is-no-evidence-for-spygate-but-there-is-a-reason-that-trump-invented-it/ |archive-date=May 31, 2018 }}{{cite web |last1=Darcy |first1=James |title='Spygate' is just latest Trump lie: Darcy cartoon |url=https://www.cleveland.com/darcy/index.ssf/2018/05/spygate_is_latest_trump_lie_da.html |website=cleveland.com |date=May 27, 2018 |access-date=June 2, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180531132227/https://www.cleveland.com/darcy/index.ssf/2018/05/spygate_is_latest_trump_lie_da.html |archive-date=May 31, 2018 }} Trump's allegations prompted the US Justice Department (DOJ) and the FBI to provide a classified briefing regarding Halper to several Congressmen, including Republicans Trey Gowdy and Paul Ryan, who concluded that the FBI did not do anything improper, and that Russia, not Trump, was the target of the FBI.{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/29/politics/trey-gowdy-fbi-confidential-source-trump-russia/|title=Gowdy says FBI 'did exactly what my fellow citizens would want them to do' in Russia investigation|first=Clare|last=Foran|date=May 30, 2018 |work=CNN |access-date=May 30, 2018}}{{cite news |last1=Demirjian |first1=Karoun |last2=DeBonis |first2=Mike |title=Paul Ryan splits with Trump, says 'no evidence' FBI spied on president's campaign |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/paul-ryan-splits-with-trump-says-no-evidence-fbi-spied-on-presidents-campaign/2018/06/06/c8bab620-6998-11e8-bea7-c8eb28bc52b1_story.html |date=June 6, 2018 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=June 7, 2018}}

In June 2018, Trump claimed that a report by DOJ Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz "totally exonerates" him and that "the Mueller investigation has been totally discredited", despite the report having nothing to do with the special counsel investigation, the Trump campaign or Russia. The report was instead focused on the FBI's 2016 investigation of the Hillary Clinton email controversy.{{cite web |last1=Greenberg |first1=Jon |last2=Jacobson |first2=Louis |last3=McCarthy |first3=Bill |last4=Sherman |first4=Amy |title=Fact-checking Donald Trump's interviews with Fox and Friends, reporters on the White House lawn |url=https://www.politifact.com/article/2018/jun/15/fact-checking-donald-trumps-unusual-white-house-la/ |date=June 15, 2018 |work=Politifact |access-date=June 18, 2018}}{{cite web |last1=Naylor |first1=Brian |title=Trump Weighs In On IG Report, North Korea, Immigration In Impromptu News Conference |url=https://www.npr.org/2018/06/15/620284862/trump-says-ig-report-on-fbi-clinton-probe-exonerates-him |date=June 15, 2018 |work=NPR |access-date=June 18, 2018}}{{cite web |last1=Higgins |first1=Tucker |title=Trump says Clinton email report 'totally exonerates me' — but that's not true |date=June 15, 2018 |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/15/trump-says-clinton-email-report-totally-exonerates-me--heres-why-thats-not-true.html |work=CNBC |access-date=June 18, 2018}}{{cite web |last1=Stracqualursi |first1=Veronica |title=Trump: IG report 'destroys' ex-FBI Director Comey |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/06/16/politics/donald-trump-ig-report-james-comey/index.html |date=June 16, 2018 |work=CNN |access-date=June 18, 2018}}

Sean Hannity, a strong supporter of Trump, a vocal and persistent critic of the Mueller investigation on his Fox News television show and syndicated radio program, described Mueller as "corrupt, abusively biased and political".{{cite news |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/369676-hannity-tells-mueller-your-witch-hunt-is-now-over |title=Hannity tells Mueller: 'Your witch hunt is now over' |first=John |last=Bowden |date=January 18, 2018 |work=The Hill|access-date=February 24, 2018}} Hannity had asserted that the investigation arose from an elaborate, corrupt scheme involving Hillary Clinton; the Steele dossier, which he asserts is completely false although parts of it have been reported as verified;{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/02/10/politics/russia-dossier-update/index.html |date=February 10, 2017 |title=US investigators corroborate some aspects of the Russia dossier |first1=Jim |last1=Sciutto |first2=Evan |last2=Perez |work=CNN |access-date=February 24, 2018}} former DOJ officials James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Bruce Ohr, and others; and a wiretap on former Trump aide Carter Page that Hannity asserted was obtained by misrepresentations to the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, characterizing the wiretap as an abuse of power that is "far bigger than Watergate" and "the weaponizing of those powerful tools of intelligence and the shredding of our Fourth Amendment, constitutional rights."

Jeanine Pirro, a long-time friend of Trump,{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/22/business/media/jeanine-pirro-of-fox-news-helps-an-old-friend-president-trump.html|title=Jeanine Pirro of Fox News Helps an Old Friend: President Trump|first=Michael M.|last=Grynbaum|date=December 22, 2017|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=February 25, 2018}} described Mueller, current FBI Director Christopher Wray (a Trump appointee), former FBI Director James Comey and other current/former FBI officials as a "criminal cabal,"{{cite news|url=https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2017/12/17/pirro_doubles_down_andrew_mccabe_is_consigliere_of_the_fbi_criminal_cabal.html|title=Pirro Doubles Down: Andrew McCabe Is "Consigliere" Of The FBI "Criminal Cabal"|last=Hains|first=Tim|date=December 17, 2017|work=Real Clear Politics|access-date=February 25, 2018}} saying "There is a cleansing needed in our FBI and Department of Justice – it needs to be cleansed of individuals who should not just be fired, but who need to be taken out in cuffs."{{cite news|url=https://www.salon.com/2017/12/10/its-time-to-take-them-out-in-cuffs-foxs-jeanine-pirro-calls-for-a-purge-of-the-fbi/ |title="It's time to take them out in cuffs": Fox News' Jeanine Pirro calls for a purge of the FBI|last=Tesfaye|first=Sophia|date=December 10, 2017|work=Salon|access-date=February 25, 2018}}

• Alternative media (U.S. political right)
• Cyberwarfare by Russia
• Cyberwar: How Russian Hackers and Trolls Helped Elect a President
• Fox News controversies
• List of conspiracy theories promoted by Donald Trump
• Social media in the 2016 United States presidential election
• Timelines related to Donald Trump and Russian interference in United States elections

• {{cite book|last1=Benkler |first1=Yochai |author-link1=Yochai Benkler |last2=Faris |first2=Robert |last3=Roberts |first3=Hal |date=October 15, 2018 |title=Network Propaganda: Manipulation, Disinformation and Radicalization in American Politics |url=https://oxford.universitypressscholarship.com/view/10.1093/oso/9780190923624.001.0001/oso-9780190923624 |doi=10.1093/oso/9780190923624.001.0001 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0190923631}}

{{notelist}}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite web | last1=Savage | first1=Charlie |last2=Goldman | first2=Adam | last3=Benner | first3=Katie | title=How Barr's Quest to Find Flaws in the Russia Inquiry Unraveled | website=The New York Times | date=January 26, 2023 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/26/us/politics/durham-trump-russia-barr.html | access-date=January 26, 2023}}

{{Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections|state=expanded}}

{{Mueller special counsel investigation}}

Category:Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections

Category:Donald Trump 2016 presidential campaign

Category:Russian foreign electoral intervention

Category:2019 controversies in the United States

Category:2019 in American politics

Category:Conspiracy theories promoted by Donald Trump