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Trump declassifies Crossfire Hurricane material to show origins of Russia probe

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Posted at 4:43 PM, Jan 19, 2021
and last updated 2021-01-19 19:43:53-05

In his final full day in office, President Donald Trump says he has declassified information related to the FBI’s investigation into ties between Russia and his 2016 presidential campaign.

He did not reveal what that information was Tuesday, except to say that it was included in a binder of materials that the Justice Department had provided to the White House at his request late last month.

The material being declassified relates to Crossfire Hurricane, the FBI’s code name for the investigation it began in 2016 into whether the Trump campaign was coordinating with Russia to tip the election. The declassification move is part of a continuing effort by Trump and his allies, including in Congress, to release information aimed at discrediting the Russia probe.

Trump says he has accepted redactions proposed by the FBI, which had objected to the declassification.

The practical impact of the declassification order was unclear given that Trump leaves office on Wednesday.