In May 2017, the FBI opened a counterintelligence investigation into President Donald Trump and whether he was working on behalf of Russia. The counterintelligence investigators had to evaluate if Trump has become a threat to national security and if Trump was working for Russia.

While investigators were considering whether President Trump’s actions were a threat, Trump concealed his conversations with the Russian President, Vladimir Putin. He concealed details concerning Trump’s face-to-face encounters with Putin. In addition, Trump also took possession of his interpreter’s notes and instructed the linguist to “not discuss what has been transpired.” Shortly after, Trump fired Director James B. Comey who was leading the investigation. Trump has also continuously denied any interactions with the Russians and tweeted, the FBI “opened up an investigation on me,” for “no reason” and with “no proof.”

Robert S. Mueller took over the investigation but was appointed special counsel after Comey’s firing. The counterintelligence investigators are looking into the Russian election interference and whether Trump’s campaign was partnered with Russia. Agents and other senior F.B.I investigators have become suspicious of Trump and his association with Russia since the 2016 campaign.

If President Trump fired Comey to “stop the Russia investigation,” the action would be a “national security issue” because it would “hurt the bureau’s effort” to learn how Moscow interfered 2016 election and if any Americans were “involved” stated James A. Baker, who served on the F.B.I general counsel. Not only would it be an issue of obstructing an investigation, but the obstruction itself would hurt our ability to “figure out what the Russians had done, and that is, what would be the threat to national security,” Baker added.

It is unclear whether the Mueller is continuing the investigation. Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani told the New York Times that from last year, the investigators have still “found nothing.” F.B.I. spokespeople for the special counsel’s office declined to comment.

Rudolph W. Giuliani, a lawyer for the president stated, “The fact that it goes back a year and a half and nothing came of it that showed a breach of national security means they found nothing.” Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), a member of the House Intelligence Committee added,  “the FBI opening any investigation is a highly documented, well-considered and well-reviewed process. This one would have been particularly carefully undertaken.”