The White House has released a collection of documents showing that in 2017, the FBI opened a counterintelligence investigation, codenamed "Oxferd Comma," to determine whether President Donald Trump was acting on behalf of or under the influence of the Russian Federation when he fired FBI Director James Comey.

According to an FBI memo dated May 16, 2017, investigators sought to establish if Trump was "directed by, controlled by, and/or coordinated activities with, the Russian Federation in a manner constituting a threat to the national security of the United States and/or a violation of federal criminal statutes." The memo also indicated that investigators would examine whether Trump or others had obstructed or conspired to obstruct an associated FBI investigation.

The probe was initiated shortly after Trump dismissed Comey in May 2017. The unusual spelling of the codename "Oxferd Comma" has led to speculation that it was intentionally misspelled to hinder discovery through Freedom of Information Act requests.

The opening memo referenced information developed during "Crossfire Hurricane," the FBI’s counterintelligence investigation into whether individuals linked to Trump’s 2016 campaign coordinated with the Russian government to interfere in the 2016 election.

Trump initially stated that his decision to fire Comey was based on Comey’s handling of the FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while secretary of state, though he later acknowledged that the Russia investigation also influenced his decision.

Special counsel Robert Mueller, appointed in 2017 to investigate Russian election interference, reported in 2019 that his team did not establish coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia and did not make a prosecutorial decision on obstruction.

US President Donald Trump was photographed speaking during a Cabinet meeting at Camp David, Maryland, on July 31, 2026 (Photo by Aaron Schwartz / AFP via Getty Images).

Former FBI Director James Comey testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee on June 8, 2017, regarding his interactions with President Trump and the Russia investigation.

Sources