Ex-British spy Christopher Steele criticized President Trump’s government 18 months after he retreated from the spotlight cast on him with his infamous Steele dossier, according to several media reports on Wednesday.
“In these strange and troubling times, it is hard to speak unpalatable truths to power, but I believe we all still have a duty to do so,” Mr. Steele wrote to the editor of Vanity Fair after being named in the magazine’s top 100 New Establishment list.
He also said American governance is currently “so distorted and one-sided,” and called for the media to push back and hold leaders accountable.
Sky News first reported on Mr. Steele’s comments.
Here is full text of email from Christopher Steele - former MI6 officer and Russia specialist behind @realDonaldTrump dossier - to editor in chief of @VanityFair @SkyNews pic.twitter.com/NHzlOyBCMl
— Deborah Haynes (@haynesdeborah) October 10, 2018
The former MI6 agent was responsible for creating the Steele dossier, an unsubstantiated document detailing Mr. Trump’s alleged activity as a private citizen in Moscow. It came out that he worked on the document for Fusion GPS, which was hired by the Democratic National Committee.
Republicans have used the dossier as a rallying point to criticize the special counsel investigation into Russian interference and potential collusion with members of the Trump campaign.
They argue that it was promoted in the Justice Department to justify getting a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant to spy on Carter Page, a former Trump campaign aide, and ultimately led to special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.