Secret new FBI documents reveal Trump was investigated for acting as a ‘Russian agent’ after James Comey firing
Newly surfaced FBI documents reportedly show that the bureau opened a counter-intelligence investigation into whether Donald Trump himself was acting as an agent of Russia, launched in the aftermath of his sacking of FBI director James Comey in May 2017. The inquiry, one of the most sensitive ever undertaken by the FBI into a sitting president, examined whether Trump's actions – including the Comey dismissal – were connected to Russian interests, and it has remained a flashpoint in arguments over the legitimacy of the wider Trump-Russia probe.
The existence of such an investigation was first reported publicly in 2018, but the newly disclosed material is said to provide fresh detail on how and why the FBI came to open the case. The documents add to years of dispute between Trump and the bureau over the Russia inquiry, which he has long dismissed as a politically motivated "witch hunt", and are likely to reignite scrutiny of the FBI's conduct during that period as well as renewed political reaction from the White House.
In short
- FBI documents reveal Trump was probed as possible 'Russian agent'
- Investigation reportedly followed his 2017 firing of James Comey
- Revelation renews scrutiny of the Trump-Russia investigation saga
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The FBI's investigation reflected legitimate counterintelligence concerns warranted by Trump's extraordinary actions: dismissing the FBI director overseeing Russian investigations, his documented admiration for Putin, and his campaign's confirmed contacts with Russian operatives. The Bureau had a statutory duty to examine whether such an unusual constellation of circumstances indicated a foreign compromise of the presidency, particularly given the verified threat of Russian interference in American democracy.
The case against
The investigation lacked credible evidence of actual Russian coordination and relied heavily on unverified opposition research, particularly the Steele dossier funded by Trump's political opponents. Opening a counterintelligence investigation into a sitting president based primarily on geopolitical disagreements and speculation represents an extraordinary assertion of law enforcement power that could easily be weaponised for partisan purposes, fundamentally undermining the institutional independence that should protect elected officials from bureaucratic overreach.
Explained simply
The investigation grew out of Russia’s interference in the 2016 US election and contacts between Russian figures and people connected to Donald Trump’s campaign. The FBI was examining possible links and whether Trump’s actions as president could serve Russian interests.
James Comey was the FBI director until Trump dismissed him in May 2017. The FBI is the federal agency responsible for investigating crimes and national security threats, and its inquiry into a sitting president raised questions about its independence and the limits of presidential power.
Trump has said the wider Russia investigation was politically motivated, while the FBI’s conduct has been scrutinised by both supporters and critics. The inquiry remains politically significant because it sits at the intersection of US election security, presidential authority and public trust in law enforcement.