The DOJ grilled Trump dossier author Christopher Steele for two days. What they reportedly heard was 'credible' and 'surprising.'


Christopher Steele is back.
The former MI6 agent behind the now-infamous "Steele Dossier" on President Trump's ties to Russia — you know, the one containing the alleged "pee tape" — was the subject of a two-day grilling by the Justice Department's internal watchdog in June, Politico reports. Coincidentally, the interview took place in London while Trump was on his state visit to the British capital.
DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz has been conducting an investigation into the FBI's efforts to surveil former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page based, in part, on information provided by Steele.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The interview reportedly didn't start off well for either side. Horowitz's team wasn't sure about Steele as a credible witness, especially after the dossier was disputed by Trump and other officials. Steele, meanwhile, wasn't keen on speaking with the investigators because he's a foreign national.
But all's well that ends well. Both sides reportedly eased into the interview, and investigators found Steele's testimony credible and "even surprising." That's not good news for Trump allies who have claimed that Steele's dossier was used improperly by the FBI so they could "spy" on Trump's campaign. Read more at Politico.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
Easy Money: the Charles Ponzi Story – an 'enlightening' podcast
The Week Recommends Apple Original podcast explores the 'fascinating' tale of the man who gave the investment scam its name
-
See the bright lights from these 7 big-city hotels
The Week Recommends Immerse yourself in culture, history and nightlife
-
Scientists want to regrow human limbs. Salamanders could lead the way.
Under the radar Humans may already have the genetic mechanism necessary
-
Supreme Court clears third-country deportations
Speed Read The court allowed Trump to temporarily resume deporting migrants to countries they aren't from
-
Judges order release of 2 high-profile migrants
Speed Read Kilmar Ábrego García is back in the US and Mahmoud Khalil is allowed to go home — for now
-
US assessing bomb damage to Iran nuclear sites
Speed Read Trump claims this weekend's US bombing obliterated Tehran's nuclear program, while JD Vance insists the US is 'not at war with Iran'
-
Trump's LA deployment in limbo after court rulings
Speed Read Judge Breyer ruled that Trump's National Guard deployment to Los Angeles was an 'illegal' overreach. But a federal appellate court halted the ruling.
-
Marines, National Guard in LA can detain Americans
speed read The troops have been authorized to detain anyone who interferes with immigration raids
-
Trump vows 'very big force' against parade protesters
Speed Read The parade, which will shut down much of the capital, will celebrate the US Army's 250th anniversary and Trump's 79th birthday
-
Smithsonian asserts its autonomy from Trump
speed read The DC institution defied Trump's firing of National Portrait Gallery Director Kim Sajet
-
Trump sends Marines to LA, backs Newsom arrest
speed read California Gov. Gavin Newsom is filing lawsuits in response to Trump's escalation of the federal response to ICE protests