Former President Donald Trump has responded to the report of Special Counsel John Durham, which evaluated the FBI’s investigation into allegations of collusion between Trump and Russia during the 2016 presidential campaign.
The 316-page report was released to the public on May 15, explaining that the FBI “failed to uphold their important mission of strict fidelity to the law in connection with certain events and activities described in this report,” as reported by The Dallas Express.
Durham further found that the FBI’s agents assigned to Crossfire Hurricane, the investigation of alleged Trump-Russia collusion, were likely compromised by a strong bias against Trump that led the agency to ignore exculpatory evidence and accept unverified claims.
The report detailed, “It seems highly likely that, at a minimum, confirmation bias played a significant role in the FBI’s acceptance of extraordinarily serious allegations derived from uncorroborated information that had not been subjected to the typical exacting analysis employed by the FBI and other members of the Intelligence Community.”
“In short, it is the Office’s assessment that the FBI discounted or willfully ignored material information that did not support the narrative of a collusive relationship between Trump and Russia,” Durham continued.
“An objective and honest assessment of these strands of information should have caused the FBI to question not only the predication for Crossfire Hurricane, but also to reflect on whether the FBI was being manipulated for political or other purposes,” the report said. “Unfortunately, it did not.”
Trump, who is currently the frontrunner for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination, responded to the report, “WOW! After extensive research, Special Counsel John Durham concludes the FBI never should have launched the Trump-Russia Probe!”
“In other words, the American Public was scammed, just as it is being scammed right now by those who don’t want to see GREATNESS for AMERICA!”
In a string of posts, Trump called the FBI investigation, “THE CRIME OF THE CENTURY!” and “TREASON!!!,” adding, “CONGRESS MUST DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. MUST NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN!”
Trump compared the actions of the FBI in 2016 to the various ongoing investigations into his conduct, writing, “JACK SMITH AND THE SPECIAL PERSECUTORS OFFICE ARE PLAYING THE SAME GAMES WITH ELECTION INTERFERENCE AND FAKE PROSECUTIONS AS JAMES COMEY, ONLY FAR MORE OBVIOUS.”
“THE DOJ MUST END THIS CHARADE RIGHT NOW, AND THAT GOES TO THEIR USE OF D.A.’s IN ATLANTA & NEW YORK. MAGA!!” Trump concluded.
At 1:15 a.m. Tuesday, Trump added, “THEY ARE SCUM, LIKE COCKROACHES ALL OVER WASHINGTON, D.C. Congratulations to John Durham on a Report that is being praised for its quality, importance, and professionalism by friend and foe alike!”
The FBI, responding to the report, said, “The conduct in 2016 and 2017 that Special Counsel Durham examined was the reason that current FBI leadership already implemented dozens of corrective actions, which have not been in place for some time.”
“Had those reforms been in place in 2016, the missteps identified in the report could have been prevented,” the agency statement added. “This report reinforces the importance of ensuring the FBI continues to do its work with the rigor, objectivity, and professionalism the American people deserve and rightly expect.”
However, the Bureau has been strongly reprimanded, leading to calls to action.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who many expect will challenge Trump for the GOP presidential nomination, said, “The Durham Report confirmed what we already knew: weaponized federal agencies manufactured a false conspiracy theory about Trump-Russia collusion.”
“It reminds us of the need to clean house at these agencies, as they’ve never been held accountable for this egregious abuse of power,” DeSantis added.
Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX), similarly said, “John Durham confirmed what the American people already knew. The FBI had no ‘factual evidence’ of Russian collusion.”
“President Trump is once again vindicated and now the fight for accountability begins,” he claimed.
Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) responded, “The Durham report released today is absolutely damning. It shows that key actors within the FBI ignored protocol to pursue a faux Russian collusion narrative, all for the purpose of taking down President Trump.”
“This report demonstrates how unelected, subversive actors within the highest levels of our government sought to destroy a duly-elected president they hated,” he continued. “They weaponized a lie – knowing the media would breathlessly regurgitate that lie – in order to take Donald Trump out of the White House.”
“There must be consequences for this,” Crenshaw concluded.
On the other hand, some have suggested that the Durham report does not have the dramatic implications that Trump and others have claimed.
“John Durham – bottom line is it’s all hat, no cattle,” claimed Andrew Weissmann, a former federal prosecutor and lead member in Robert Mueller’s special counsel’s office.
“Why does anyone care what John Durham thinks about FBI policies?” Weissmann later asked. “He’s never worked there and that is not his remit or expertise. Bottom line: he lost both of his crim[inal] cases and found no vast left-wing conspiracy against Trump.”
Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) tweeted, “Durham Report is a big nothing burger.”
Lieu went on, “1. Durham concludes FBI HAD ENOUGH INFORMATION TO OPEN A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION. 2. Durhams recommends no wholesale changes to how FBI handles investigations where the suspect is a politician. 3. Durham report doesn’t charge anyone.”
