FBI fires Peter Strzok, agent who sent critical texts about Trump

The FBI on Friday fired Peter Strzok, who worked on the bureau’s investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election before officials discovered that he had been sending anti-Trump texts.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller removed Strzok from his investigation in 2017 after he learned of the messages.

David L. Bowdich, the FBI deputy director, ordered Strzok’s firing on Friday, according to Strzok’s attorney, Aitan Goelman.

President Donald Trump has long contended that he was targeted by Strzok and accused the former FBI agent of being “treasonous” and a “disgrace.” Trump and his allies seized on Strzok’s text messages to a former FBI lawyer, Lisa Page, in attacking the Russia investigation as illegitimate and a “witch hunt.” Strzok, who rose over a 20 year career at the FBI to become an experienced counterintelligence agent, was a key member of the Russia probe in its early months.

In an explosive congressional hearing in July, Strzok sought to address the many controversial text messages and to clear his name, claiming that personal opinions did not spill over into his work.

The president took to Twitter to celebrate news of Strzok’s firing.

“Agent Peter Strzok was just fired from the FBI – finally. The list of bad players in the FBI & DOJ gets longer & longer,” Trump tweeted Monday. “Based on the fact that Strzok was in charge of the Witch Hunt, will it be dropped? It is a total Hoax. No Collusion, No Obstruction – I just fight back!”

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