president donald trump fire fbi director jam comey may renew attention allegations u.s. intelligence agencies russia interfere 2016 election campaign benefit trump follow describe publicly know know u.s. investigations meddle possible collusion russia members trump campaign investigations begin former president barack obama order u.s. intelligence agencies assess whether russia try intervene election cyber attack democratic national committee july 2016 publication thousands hack personal email hillary clinton campaign manager month nov. election obama tell intelligence officials deliver report possible foreign interference leave white house january 2017. intelligence agencies find central intelligence agency federal bureau investigation national security agency conclude report declassify january russian president vladimir putin order campaign undermine confidence u.s. electoral system affect outcome agencies say putin russian government clear preference trump win white house putin associate hack information pay social media troll back efforts russian government agencies state-funded media sway public opinion agencies say report stop short assess whether russia succeed sway election result putin russian officials repeatedly deny interfere u.s. election trump say russia role election trump take clear public position tell russia listen hope able find 30,000 email miss trump say july 2016 news conference reference fbi probe clinton use private email system secretary state email possibly delete trump subsequently dismiss report include u.s. intelligence officials russia attempt intervene election behalf first time trump say accept find intelligence agencies jan. 11 news conference ahead inauguration far hack think russia trump say although add could others also early month trump say china may hack email democratic officials meddle election offer evidence counter view intelligence officials many u.s. probe russia election meddle justice department announce may 17 appoint robert mueller former fbi director special counsel lead independent russia probe mueller would evidence merit work tandem fbi investigate handle relate criminal prosecutions committees house representatives senate also investigate probe continue comey invite testify agency russia investigation dismissal fallout trump associate contact russia election campaign michael flynn trump national security adviser fire february white house say mislead vice president mike pence contact russia ambassador unite state sergei kislyak trump take office may federal prosecutors issue grand jury subpoena seek business record people work flynn private citizen may 10 senate intelligence committee issue first subpoena russia investigation demand document flynn decline voluntarily comply early request attorney general jeff sessions recuse involvement russia-related probe justice department tell congress contact kislyak 2016. rod rosenstein deputy u.s. attorney general handle matter relate russia appoint mueller special counsel fbi probe continue comey dismissal comey tell house intelligence committee march 20 fbi investigate moscow role election include possible collusion trump campaign first time publicly acknowledge agency investigate matter comey departure necessarily mean fbi russia investigation disrupt end career fbi officials comey put charge likely continue work matter even search new director begin fbi act director andrew mccabe lead agency new director name promise senate intelligence committee comey fire affect investigation notify committee attempt delay derail comey fire attorney general sessions send trump may letter attach memo rosenstein deputy attorney general restore confidence fbi recommend comey dismissal rosenstein memo say comey err july 2016 announce fbi examine clinton use private email server case close without prosecution rosenstein view comey decision make public statement matter break longstanding fbi precedent handle then-u.s. attorney general loretta lynch trump call comey showboat grandstander interview nbc news may 11 say would fire comey regardless rosenstein recommendation comey fire anything russia probe white house say comey dismiss handle clinton email investigation new york time first report may 16 memo comey write february meet trump state president ask end fbi investigation flynn trump aid tell reuters top justice department officials want heads-up comey would say may congressional hear fbi investigation clinton private email system hear days clinton say new york event announcements comey week november election re-opened re-closed email probe swing election trump comey tell congressional panel idea may affect election result make mildly nauseous trump investigate fbi short letter trump send comey dismiss fbi thank comey inform three separate occasion investigation comey never state publicly whether fbi investigate trump would unorthodox say thing president white house offer proof back trump claim news comey memo along washington post report may 15 trump reveal classify info may 10 meet white house russian officials intensify call democrats republicans independent probe trump tie russia trump make clear multiple occasion believe russia investigations run course close russia-trump collusion story total hoax taxpayer fund charade end write twitter may 8. know u.s. probe russian meddle 2016 election