Declassified FBI memos described by multiple outlets say the FBI opens a counterintelligence probe after President Donald Trump fired then–FBI Director James Comey in 2017. The documents reportedly describe the probe as codenamed “Oxferd Comma,” and link it to “Crossfire Hurricane,” the FBI’s earlier investigation into whether Trump associates had ties to Russia during the 2016 campaign.
According to the memos discussed by the outlets, the bureau examined whether Trump was acting “wittingly or unwittingly” as a Russian agent in connection with the Comey firing. The outlets characterize the memos as newly revealed through public release, and focus on what they say the FBI considered at the time.
The reporting centers on the existence and purpose of the probe as reflected in the declassified materials, including how it was framed as counterintelligence. The outlets do not agree on additional details beyond what is stated in the memos, and the overall description is based on the documents’ account of the FBI’s investigative direction following the Comey firing.
