FBI Debated Whether Trump Was ‘Following Directions’ of Russia, Leaked Transcript Shows
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Reuters / Marcos Brindicci
The FBI debated whether or not Donald Trump was following direct orders from the Kremlin in the wake of Director James Comey’s firing, leaked transcripts obtained by CNN show. The transcripts reveal what was discussed during closed-door congressional interviews of FBI officials, with James Baker, then-FBI general counsel, saying the FBI was contemplating whether Trump was “acting at the behest of and somehow following directions, somehow executing [Russia’s] will.” However, he also told House investigators: “That was one extreme. The other extreme is that the president is completely innocent, and we discussed that too... We need to investigate, because we don’t know whether, you know, the worst-case scenario is possibly true or the president is totally innocent and we need to get this thing over with—and so he can move forward with his agenda.” The New York Times reported Friday that the FBI launched an investigation into whether Trump was working on behalf of Russia.