FBI agents’ anti-Trump texts given to lawmakers
WASHINGTON — Texts between two senior FBI officials involved in both the probe of Hillary Clinton’s emails and possible connections between Trump associates and Russia show the two frequently discussed their political views, and their intense dislike of candidate Donald Trump and fear he might win.
A review of the texts between senior FBI agent Peter Strzok and senior FBI lawyer Lisa Page were sent to lawmakers Tuesday night. The texts are now the subject of an ethics investigation by the Justice Department’s inspector general, and they show the two senior officials repeatedly offering harsh opinions about political figures. Among many other comments, the two called Trump “an idiot.”
The Washington Post reported last weekend that Strzok, the deputy head of counterintelligence at the FBI, was removed from his position in late July as top FBI agent on special counsel Robert Mueller III’s team when his bosses learned about the texts between him and Page.
Page had also worked on Mueller’s team — which is investigating possible coordination between Trump associates and agents — but left that position earlier in July, for what officials have said were unrelated reasons.
Strzok and Page, who were involved in a romantic relationship, were key players in the investigation into Clinton’s use of a private email server to do government work as secretary of state, as well as the probe into possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia in the 2016 election.
One of the earliest texts, from 2015, shows Strzok calling Bernie Sanders, Clinton’s rival in the race for the Democratic nomination, “an idiot like Trump. Figure they cancel each other out.”
On March 4, 2016, Page texted: “God, Trump is a loathsome human,” to which Strzok replied: “Yet he may win.”
Strzok then added: “Good for Hillary,” to which Page replied: “It is.”
That conversation, which takes place after 2 in the morning, includes Strzok texting: “God, Hillary should win 100,000,000-0.”
That same night, Page notes Trump’s comment about the size of his hands, and says “This man can not be president.”
Over and over, the two express their contempt for people other than Trump and Clinton as well — other politicians, the press, and lawmakers. “I LOATHE Congress,” Strzok texted Page on June 22, 2016.