Trump orders declassification of case on possible links between his campaign and Russia

US President Donald Trump has instructed the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to declassify materials related to a case concerning possible links between his 2016 presidential campaign and Russia.

According to the directive published on the White House website, the case in question is Crossfire Hurricane, launched in 2016. The investigation aimed to determine whether members of Trump’s campaign team had ties to Russia during the presidential election.

The investigative materials are no longer classified, except for those redacted by the FBI or protected under court rulings or applicable law.

The order also does not apply to personal data or materials protected by law.

"Subject to the exceptions identified above, the Attorney General shall make declassified materials described in this memorandum available to the public immediately," the directive states.

The FBI began covert surveillance of Trump’s campaign team in 2016, suspecting connections with Russia.

In 2018, Trump – by then President – demanded that the Justice Department investigate whether the FBI's actions had been politically motivated and also called for the release of documents related to the FBI’s surveillance of his campaign.

In May 2023, US Department of Justice Special Counsel John Durham published a report summarising four years of investigation into the FBI’s actions during its probe of Trump’s campaign over suspected ties to Russia.