For the first time in nearly ten years, there’s no special advisor involved in investigating a former president, yet the effects of past inquiries keep surfacing in the news. Since 2017, special advisors across different administrations have released reports, made indictments, and returned to both government and private sector roles after their investigations.
In 2017, Robert Mueller looked into whether Trump campaign members conspired with Russia during the 2016 election. Fast forward to 2019, and John Durham started probing the origins of Mueller’s investigation and the original FBI inquiries into Trump’s candidacy.
By 2022, Jack Smith began examining Trump’s handling of classified records at Mar-a-Lago, along with the events of the Capitol riots that took place on January 6, 2021. In 2023, Robert Hur was appointed to investigate President Biden for allegedly mishandling classified documents from his time as Vice President.
Later in 2023, David Weiss, a U.S. attorney, continued an investigation into Hunter Biden, who had been under scrutiny since 2018. Many of these cases reached conclusions over the years. Mueller found no conspiracy in 2019; Durham noted the FBI’s failure to recognize warning signs regarding political motivations behind the investigations, while Smith indicted Trump in 2022, charges that were later dismissed. Hur challenged Biden’s claims in 2023, and Weiss indicted Hunter, who was eventually convicted but pardoned by his father.
There’s still a lingering curiosity about these numerous investigations, primarily because many questions remain unanswered. Recently, audio from Biden’s interview with Hur was released, which describes Biden as an “older man with sympathetic memories” while sidestepping accusations against him, illustrating the ongoing scrutiny of his administration’s actions.
The release has prompted some lawmakers to question Biden’s mental clarity, especially regarding memories of his son Beau’s death and other critical events from his past. In a strange twist, an earlier post by James Comey, a former FBI director, involving a beach photo interpreted by some as a cryptic message about Trump’s assassination, led to an investigation by the Secret Service.
Comey, who previously initiated the Trump-Russia investigation, claimed he was unaware that his post might be linked to violence. His connection to the investigation dates back to the infamous Steele dossier—unverified claims linking Trump to Russia—which was funded by the Clinton campaign.
Durham’s findings emphasized that the FBI failed to act on clear evidence of potential political manipulation. In a related note, Trump issued an executive order to make documents from the Crossfire Hurricane investigation accessible to the public.
The FBI is also set to release further documents in the upcoming weeks. Meanwhile, Smith has made headlines regarding his own investigations. Recently, FBI Director Kash Patel dissolved the corruption task force associated with Smith’s probe into Trump.
As for Hunter Biden, he pleaded guilty to felony firearm charges and tax violations, facing a potential lengthy prison sentence. His father, however, issued a pardon in December 2024. Trump has called the pardon invalid, claiming it was executed by autopen, suggesting Biden was unaware of it. Weiss’s final report pointed out the complexity surrounding the investigation and the implications of Biden’s pardon.
