In a major development in the long-running Trump-Russia saga, US Attorney General Pam Bondi has directed a federal prosecutor to present evidence to a grand jury, potentially seeking indictments related to allegations that the Trump-Russia collusion narrative was a politically motivated smear campaign.
According to CBS News, the order follows a referral from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who recently declassified a report accusing former President Barack Obama and his national security team of orchestrating a “years-long coup” to undermine Donald Trump. Gabbard claimed intelligence on Russian interference in the 2016 election was manipulated to falsely connect Trump to the Kremlin. Democrats, however, maintain the intelligence findings were legitimate, citing a 2017 assessment and a 2020 bipartisan Senate report that concluded Russia sought to aid Trump’s campaign.
While no specific charges or individuals have been confirmed, speculation is rife. Fox News previously reported that former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey are under investigation, though both deny any wrongdoing and accuse Trump and his allies of politicizing the justice system.
This new grand jury activity is part of a broader legal and political battle reignited by the declassification of a 29-page appendix from Special Counsel John Durham’s investigation. The appendix cites a memo suggesting that Hillary Clinton approved a plan in 2016 to portray Trump as a Russian asset. It also references emails, allegedly hacked from a George Soros-linked foundation, in which a Clinton adviser reportedly discussed a strategy to “demonize Putin and Trump.”
However, Durham’s report found no concrete evidence of an FBI conspiracy. He did criticize the original FBI investigation for lacking “analytical rigor” and relying on unverified intelligence. His report stopped short of declaring the controversial emails authentic, leaving open the possibility they were doctored by Russian operatives.
Trump and his allies have seized on these revelations to renew their claims of political persecution. As the grand jury proceedings begin, the outcome could have profound implications for both historical accountability and the 2024 presidential race.
