Trump says Comey ‘positioned a cloud over the whole nation’ with Crossfire Hurricane, reacts to indictment

[ad_1] NEW Now you can hearken to Fox Information articles!

EXCLUSIVE: President Trump reacted to the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, telling Fox Information Digital throughout an unique interview that he "positioned a cloud over the whole nation" with the bureau’s "Crossfire Hurricane" probe.

Comey , on Thursday night, was indicted by a grand jury on two counts, alleged false statements inside jurisdiction of the legislative department and obstruction of congressional continuing.

A cut up picture of James Comey and Donald Trump. (Alex Kraus/Bloomberg by way of Getty Pictures and photograph by Andrew Harnik/Getty Pictures)

COMEY INDICTED FOR ALLEGED FALSE STATEMENTS, OBSTRUCTION OF CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDING

"What they did was so horrible and so corrupt," Trump advised Fox Information Digital, referring to these concerned within the Trump-Russia probe. "We had an incredible administration, although."

Former Deputy Assistant Director of Counterintelligence Peter Strzok formally opened the Trump-Russia investigation, recognized contained in the bureau as "Crossfire Hurricane" on July 31, 2016.

Trump fired Comey in Might 2017. Days later Particular Counsel Robert Mueller was appointed to take over the Crossfire Hurricane probe.

"He's a really corrupt particular person. He was completely a horrible man for what this nation stood for," Trump advised Fox Information Digital.

Former FBI Director James Comey is sworn in previous to testifying earlier than a Senate Intelligence Committee listening to on Russia's alleged interference within the 2016 U.S. presidential election on Capitol Hill in Washington, June 8, 2017. (Reuters/Jonathan Ernst)

"Comey positioned a cloud over the whole nation, and really, the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax made it very tough," Trump stated. "It may have brought about wars."

Fox Information Digital solely reported in July that Comey was under criminal investigation by the FBI.

Fox Information Digital additionally solely reported that former CIA Director John Brennan is underneath legal investigation associated to the Trump–Russia probe.

When requested whether or not Brennan ought to be charged as nicely, the president advised Fox Information Digital: "We’ll need to see what occurs."

"It's as much as the Justice Division, however I can inform you, it's a group of those who was very disappointing," the president stated. "This makes Watergate appear to be peanuts."

EXCLUSIVE: FBI LAUNCHES CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS OF JOHN BRENNAN, JAMES COMEY: DOJ SOURCES

He added: "They tried to destroy our nation."

Comey's case is being dealt with by the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace for the Japanese District of Virginia.

The indictment alleges that Comey obstructed a congressional investigation into the disclosure of delicate info in violation of 18 USC 1505.

The indictment additionally alleges Comey made a false assertion when he said he didn't authorize somebody on the FBI to be an nameless supply. In accordance with the indictment, that assertion was false.

His arraignment is about for 10 a.m. on Oct. 9, in Alexandria Courtroom 600 earlier than District Juge Michael S. Nachmanoff.

"Nobody is above the regulation," Attorney General Pam Bondi stated on X. "At present’s indictment displays this Division of Justice’s dedication to holding those that abuse positions of energy accountable for deceptive the American individuals. We'll observe the info on this case."

FBI Director Kash Patel took to X to say, "At present, your FBI took one other step in its promise of full accountability."

"For much too lengthy, earlier corrupt management and their enablers weaponized federal regulation enforcement, damaging as soon as proud establishments and severely eroding public belief," Patel wrote. "Every single day, we proceed the combat to earn that belief again, and underneath my management, this FBI will confront the issue head-on. Nowhere was this politicization of regulation enforcement extra blatant than through the Russiagate hoax, a disgraceful chapter in historical past we proceed to analyze and expose.

U.S. Lawyer Normal Pam Bondi praised Tuesday's responsible verdict for Ryan Routh, who tried to assassinate then-candidate Donald Trump. (Francis Chung/Politico/Bloomberg by way of Getty Pictures)

"Everybody, particularly these in positions of energy, will likely be held to account – irrespective of their perch."

In the meantime, after almost two years, former Particular Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, which concluded in March 2019, yielded no proof of legal conspiracy or coordination between the Trump marketing campaign and Russian officers through the 2016 presidential election.

Shortly after, John Durham was appointed as particular counsel to analyze the origins of the "Crossfire Hurricane" probe.

Former FBI Director Robert Mueller, pictured Might 29, 2019, is the most recent particular person to testify within the Home Oversight Committee's probe into Jeffrey Epstein. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Pictures)

Durham discovered that the FBI "did not act" on a "clear warning signal" that the bureau was the "goal" of a Clinton-led effort to "manipulate or affect the regulation enforcement course of for political functions" forward of the 2016 presidential election.

"The aforementioned info replicate a somewhat startling and inexplicable failure to adequately take into account and incorporate the Clinton Plan intelligence into the FBI’s investigative decision-making within the Crossfire Hurricane investigation," Durham’s report states.

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SEEKS TO INDICT FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY FOR ALLEGEDLY LYING TO CONGRESS

"Certainly, had the FBI opened the Crossfire Hurricane investigation as an evaluation and, in flip, gathered and analyzed information in live performance with the knowledge from the Clinton Plan intelligence, it's seemingly that the knowledge obtained would have been examined, at a minimal, with a extra important eye," the report continued.

John Durham testifies earlier than the Home Judiciary committee on Wednesday, June 20, 2023. (Screenshot/HouseJudiciaryCommittee)

Durham, in his report, stated the FBI "did not act on what ought to have been — when mixed with different incontrovertible info — a transparent warning signal that the FBI would possibly then be the goal of an effort to govern or affect the regulation enforcement course of for political functions through the 2016 presidential election."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

In an Instagram submit on Thursday, Comey acknowledged that he and his household have recognized for years that there are prices to standing as much as President Donald Trump.