Here’s what happened.
Newly declassified FBI documents released by the White House have revealed that federal investigators opened a previously undisclosed counterintelligence investigation into President Donald Trump shortly after he dismissed FBI Director James Comey in May 2017.
The records, which include internal FBI memoranda, show that the investigation operated under the code name “Oxferd Comma.” The reason for the unusual spelling has not been publicly explained.
According to the declassified documents, investigators sought to determine whether Trump’s decision to remove Comey raised national security concerns or suggested any relationship with the Russian government that could pose a threat to the United States.
FBI Documents Detail Scope of Investigation
One memorandum dated May 16, 2017, states that investigators were instructed to examine whether President Trump had been “directed by, controlled by, and/or coordinated activities with” the Russian government in a manner that could violate federal law or threaten U.S. national security.
The documents also indicate that investigators planned to determine whether Trump or other individuals may have obstructed or conspired to obstruct ongoing FBI investigations connected to Russia.
The newly released records provide additional insight into decisions made during one of the most closely watched investigations in recent American political history.
James Comey’s Firing Sparked New Questions
James Comey served as FBI director from 2013 until President Trump dismissed him in May 2017.
When announcing Comey’s dismissal, the White House said the move was driven primarily by criticism of his handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s private email server during her tenure as secretary of state.
However, Comey’s dismissal immediately generated widespread political debate because the FBI was also investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Those circumstances ultimately led federal investigators to open the separate counterintelligence inquiry described in the newly declassified documents.
Crossfire Hurricane Investigation
Before his dismissal, Comey had overseen the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane investigation, which began in July 2016.
That investigation examined possible connections between members of Trump’s presidential campaign and Russia after information involving campaign adviser George Papadopoulos was provided to U.S. officials.
Crossfire Hurricane became one of the most significant federal investigations surrounding the 2016 election and remained a major political issue for years.
Mueller Took Over the Russia Investigation
Just days after Comey’s firing, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel.
Mueller assumed responsibility for the existing Russia investigation and expanded its scope.
His final report, released in 2019, concluded that Russia conducted efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election through cyber operations and online influence campaigns.
However, Mueller’s investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in those activities.
According to the newly released FBI records, the separate Oxferd Comma investigation was formally closed on April 9, 2019.
Durham Review Examined FBI Decisions
Following the conclusion of Mueller’s investigation, AG William Barr nominated Special Counsel John Durham to overlook how the FBI began its original Russia investigation.
Durham’s final report, released in 2023, concluded that the FBI lacked sufficient factual information to justify opening the full Crossfire Hurricane investigation and criticized the bureau for departing from its normal investigative standards in several respects.
The report also examined intelligence and internal government information reviewed during Durham’s investigation into the origins of the Russia inquiry.
Newly Released Annex Includes Additional Intelligence
The declassified annex to Durham’s report includes intelligence that officials reviewed concerning efforts to link Donald Trump to Russia during the 2016 campaign.
One document describes intelligence suggesting that emphasizing alleged ties between Russian President Vladimir Putin and then-candidate Trump could divert attention from scrutiny surrounding Hillary Clinton’s email controversy.
The annex also contains a 2016 communication attributed to Leonard Benardo, an executive associated with the Open Society Foundations, referencing a strategy involving continued criticism of both Putin and Trump.
According to the appendix, the reference to “Julie” in that communication appears to refer to Clinton foreign policy adviser Julianne Smith.
The annex presents the intelligence reviewed during Durham’s investigation but does not independently establish the accuracy of every underlying claim.
Why the Declassified Documents Matter
The release of these newly declassified FBI records is likely to renew public debate over the origins of the Russia investigation and the federal government’s handling of politically sensitive investigations during and after the 2016 election.
Supporters of President Trump argue the documents reinforce long-standing concerns about the FBI’s investigative decisions, while others maintain the bureau acted based on the information available at the time.
As additional records continue to become public, the newly released documents add further historical context to one of the most significant political and law enforcement investigations in recent U.S. history.
