Former AG Bill Barr says FBI’s Trump-Russia probe put Moscow where it is today

Former Attorney General William P. Barr called the FBI’s Trump-Russia collusion investigation a “political dirty trick” that put Moscow in the position it is in today.

“It was very damaging — a big lie that started off the administration. I think it started out as a political dirty trick. But it was propelled by the FBI jumping on it and spying on the Trump campaign,” Mr. Barr said on “Fox and Friends” Wednesday morning.

“And it goes beyond the unfairness to [former President Donald] Trump and the disruption of his administration. I think it tied Trump’s hands to deal normally with Russia and try to negotiate some kind of structure or framework diplomatically that would avoid what we’re seeing today. But his hands were tied by Russiagate.”

Mr. Barr in his new book, “One Damn Thing After Another,” says Russian President Vladimir Putin would take advantage of President Biden, who is now contending with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

“I’m afraid that with a wavering intermittently alert Joe Biden in the Oval Office, Vladimir Putin will pursue Russian strategic goals more assertively and feel little need to find agreed upon frameworks with the United States,” he writes.

Mr. Barr served as Mr. Trump’s attorney general during the former president’s final year in office. Mr. Barr appointed special counsel John Durham in October 2020 to investigate the origins of the FBI’s Russian election interference investigation.

The former attorney general told “Fox and Friends” host Steve Doocey why the Durham investigation has yet to wrap up.

“You know, people are very impatient. I’m frustrated by the time it takes, but people have to understand that he was unable to get into the major part of this case until December 2019, when the IG [inspector general] actually completed his report and turned it over to him,” Mr. Barr said.

“Then three months later, it’s COVID. So it’s a long, torturous process. That’s what criminal investigations sometimes are, but I think he will get to the bottom of it,” he added.