Donald Trump falsely says new Carter Page documents show Steele dossier launched Russia probe
Put simply, Trump is wrong about the triggering event. The Steele dossier did not launch the FBI’s investigation into links between the Trump campaign and Russia.
The dossier was used, to some extent, to persuade a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act court to authorize surveillance of Page. But it was the actions of another Trump campaign adviser — George Papadopoulos — that actually started the investigation.
Trump adviser George Papadopoulos triggered investigation
The federal government started looking into Russian election involvement in July 2016 based on information from Papadopoulos. This was confirmed by Republican members of the House Intelligence Committee.
"The Papadopoulos information triggered the opening of an FBI counterintelligence investigation in late July 2016 by FBI agent Pete Strzok," the House Intelligence Committee’s GOP members wrote in a Feb. 2 memo.
House Intelligence Committee Republicans confirmed in an April report it was Papadopoulos who set the FBI investigation in motion.
So, what was the "Papadopoulos information"?
According to the New York Times, Papadopoulos told a high-ranking Australian diplomat at an upscale London bar in May 2016 that Moscow had "political dirt" on Hillary Clinton. Australian officials relayed this information to their American counterparts.
Mueller appointed later
Trump also confused the timeline of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s involvement.
The Papadopoulos discussion of Clinton dirt that triggered the investigation took place in May 2016. Yet an entire year would pass before Mueller entered the picture.
The Justice Department did not appoint Mueller to take over the FBI investigation until May 2017, roughly a week after Trump fired FBI director James Comey.
Our ruling
Trump said the Steele dossier "was responsible for starting" Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into links between the Trump campaign and Russia.
The Steele dossier did not trigger Mueller’s investigation. It was information from Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos that set the probe in motion. Also, Mueller did not take up the investigation until roughly a year after the triggering event.
https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-...-trump-falsely-says-new-carter-page-document/
Put simply, Trump is wrong about the triggering event. The Steele dossier did not launch the FBI’s investigation into links between the Trump campaign and Russia.
The dossier was used, to some extent, to persuade a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act court to authorize surveillance of Page. But it was the actions of another Trump campaign adviser — George Papadopoulos — that actually started the investigation.
Trump adviser George Papadopoulos triggered investigation
The federal government started looking into Russian election involvement in July 2016 based on information from Papadopoulos. This was confirmed by Republican members of the House Intelligence Committee.
"The Papadopoulos information triggered the opening of an FBI counterintelligence investigation in late July 2016 by FBI agent Pete Strzok," the House Intelligence Committee’s GOP members wrote in a Feb. 2 memo.
House Intelligence Committee Republicans confirmed in an April report it was Papadopoulos who set the FBI investigation in motion.
So, what was the "Papadopoulos information"?
According to the New York Times, Papadopoulos told a high-ranking Australian diplomat at an upscale London bar in May 2016 that Moscow had "political dirt" on Hillary Clinton. Australian officials relayed this information to their American counterparts.
Mueller appointed later
Trump also confused the timeline of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s involvement.
The Papadopoulos discussion of Clinton dirt that triggered the investigation took place in May 2016. Yet an entire year would pass before Mueller entered the picture.
The Justice Department did not appoint Mueller to take over the FBI investigation until May 2017, roughly a week after Trump fired FBI director James Comey.
Our ruling
Trump said the Steele dossier "was responsible for starting" Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into links between the Trump campaign and Russia.
The Steele dossier did not trigger Mueller’s investigation. It was information from Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos that set the probe in motion. Also, Mueller did not take up the investigation until roughly a year after the triggering event.
https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-...-trump-falsely-says-new-carter-page-document/
