FBI documents on Trump–Russia Probe allegedly found in ‘burn bags’: Report

Jul 30, 2025 at 05:23 PM CDT

Lauren Keenan (Anchor/Reporter)

Sensitive Trump–Russia documents were allegedly found in FBI burn bags, with a classified annex suggesting early FBI coordination. — Image credit: AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, File

This recording was made using enhanced software.

Summary

“Burn Bags”

Thousands of sensitive documents tied to the Trump–Russia investigation were allegedly found in FBI “burn bags,” according to Fox News.

Suggested intelligence

A classified annex to the Durham report reportedly contains intelligence suggesting the FBI planned to amplify collusion claims before launching its probe.

Review underway

Sen. Chuck Grassley is reviewing the documents, and Trump has called the matter “a scam set up by Democrats.”

Full story

FBI Director Kash Patel allegedly found thousands of sensitive documents pertaining to the origins of the Trump–Russia investigation, Fox News reported. The documents were hidden in “burn bags” located in a secret room inside the FBI. According to unnamed sources who spoke to Fox News Digital, the “burn bag” system is a method the government uses to destroy sensitive or classified documents.

Classified annex attached to Durham report

FBI officials discovered a classified annex to Special Counsel John Durham’s final report, which contains the raw intelligence and source material that Durham reviewed during his investigation.

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Top-level officials from U.S. intelligence, legal and defense communities are jointly deciding how and when to release the annex. The document will be reviewed by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who will then make it publicly available.

Foreign warnings allegedly ignored

Some people with access to the classified annex gave exclusive information to Fox News Digital, saying U.S. intelligence reportedly had credible foreign sources warning that the FBI would help spread the Trump–Russia collusion story before the agency officially launched its Crossfire Hurricane investigation.

“Ultimately, the release of the classified annex will lend more credibility to the assertion that there was a coordinated plan inside the U.S. government to help the Clinton campaign stir up controversy connecting Trump to Russia,” the anonymous source told Fox News.

Trump calls it “a scam set up by democrats”

Reporters asked Trump about the thousands of documents supposedly found in “burn bags” at the FBI during a news conference Wednesday, July 30. In response, Trump said he wants all the files to be “shown” and called it “a scam set up by Democrats.”

“I would like to see people exposed who might be bad and we’ll see how that all works out but it’s getting to be very old news,” Trump said.

Grassley’s team is currently examining the documents as part of their ongoing investigation, Fox News reports.

Lauren Keenan (Anchor/Reporter)

Lauren Keenan was an anchor and reporter for Straight Arrow News.

Bast Bramhall (Video Editor), Alex Delia (Deputy Managing Editor), and Ally Heath (Senior Digital Producer) contributed to this report.

Tags: 2016 Elections, Donald Trump, FBI, Kash Patel, Russia

[LAUREN KEENAN]

FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL ALLEGEDLY FOUND THOUSANDS OF SENSITIVE DOCUMENTS PERTAINING TO THE ORIGINS OF THE TRUMP–RUSSIA INVESTIGATION, FOX NEWS REPORTS. THE DOCUMENTS WERE HIDDEN IN “BURN BAGS” LOCATED IN A SECRET ROOM INSIDE THE FBI.

ACCORDING TO UNNAMED SOURCES WHO SPOKE TO FOX NEWS DIGITAL, THE “BURN BAG” SYSTEM IS A METHOD THE GOVERNMENT USES TO DESTROY SENSITIVE OR CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS.

FBI OFFICIALS DISCOVERED A CLASSIFIED ANNEX TO SPECIAL COUNSEL JOHN DURHAM’S FINAL TRUMP-RUSSIA REPORT WHICH CONTAINS THE RAW INTELLIGENCE AND SOURCE MATERIAL THAT DURHAM REVIEWED DURING HIS INVESTIGATION.

TOP-LEVEL OFFICIALS FROM U.S. INTELLIGENCE, LEGAL, AND DEFENSE COMMUNITIES ARE JOINTLY DECIDING HOW AND WHEN TO RELEASE THE ANNEX. THE DOCUMENT WILL BE REVIEWED BY SENATOR CHUCK GRASSLEY – CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, WHO WILL THEN MAKE IT PUBLICLY AVAILABLE.

SOME PEOPLE WITH ACCESS TO THE CLASSIFIED ANNEX GAVE EXCLUSIVE INFORMATION TO FOX NEWS DIGITAL SAYING U.S. INTELLIGENCE REPORTEDLY HAD CREDIBLE FOREIGN SOURCES WARNING THE FBI WOULD HELP SPREAD THE TRUMP–RUSSIA COLLUSION STORY BEFORE THE AGENCY OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED ITS CROSSFIRE-HURRICANE INVESTIGATION.

“ULTIMATELY, THE RELEASE OF THE CLASSIFIED ANNEX WILL LEND MORE CREDIBILITY TO THE ASSERTION THAT THERE WAS A COORDINATED PLAN INSIDE THE U.S. GOVERNMENT TO HELP THE CLINTON CAMPAIGN STIR UP CONTROVERSY CONNECTING TRUMP TO RUSSIA,” THE ANONYMOUS SOURCE TOLD FOX NEWS.

PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS ASKED BY REPORTERS ABOUT THE THOUSANDS OF DOCUMENTS SUPPOSEDLY FOUND IN BURN BAGS AT THE FBI DURING A NEWS CONFERENCE WEDNESDAY. IN RESPONSE, TRUMP SAID HE WANTS ALL THE FILES TO BE “SHOWN” AND CALLED IT “A SCAM SET UP BY DEMOCRATS.”

SENATOR GRASSLEY’S TEAM IS CURRENTLY EXAMINING THE DOCUMENTS AS PART OF THEIR ONGOING INVESTIGATION, FOX NEWS REPORTS.

FOR SAN, I’M LAUREN KEENAN.

Why this story matters

Questions about the handling of sensitive government documents and the origins of the Trump–Russia investigation may affect public trust in federal agencies and ongoing political discourse.

Document handling

The alleged discovery of thousands of sensitive documents in 'burn bags' raises concerns about transparency and established procedures for managing classified information within government agencies.

Political investigations

Allegations regarding the origins of the Trump–Russia probe and potential coordination inside government agencies highlight ongoing scrutiny of politically charged investigations and their possible influence on public perceptions.

Public disclosure

Plans to review and potentially release a classified annex related to the Durham report underscore debates over what government information should be made public to ensure accountability while protecting national security.

Get the big picture

Synthesized coverage insights across 26 media outlets

Context corner

The controversy over the Trump–Russia investigation originated with the FBI’s 2016 probe known as Crossfire Hurricane, leading to years of partisan disputes about alleged collusion and subsequent claims that parts of the investigation were politically motivated or potentially fabricated.

Global impact

The Trump–Russia probe's international significance stems from its connections to alleged Russian interference in US elections, a recurring theme affecting US-Russia relations and used by both governments in diplomatic critiques.

Policy impact

The story could influence ongoing debates on transparency, the handling of classified material and the oversight of intelligence agencies, but specific new policy actions have not been detailed in the articles reviewed.

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Sources

Fox News

Media landscape

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34 total sources

Key points from the Left

President Donald Trump appeared confused when asked about the burn bags, mistakenly thinking the reporter mentioned a person named 'Burn Bag.'
Trump expressed a desire for transparency regarding the documents, while dismissing the investigation as a 'scam' orchestrated by Democrats.
Critics claimed that the handling of the Epstein case was a distraction from ongoing issues surrounding Trump and the Russia investigation.

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- Trump Whiffs on Softball Russiagate ‘Burn Bag’ Question, Confuses it With Epstein Case
  Mediaite

Key points from the Center

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump was mocked for his baffled reaction when a pro-MAGA reporter brought up FBI Director Kash Patel's reported discovery of "burn bags" during the Russia investigation.
These 'burn bags' contained thousands of classified documents related to the Trump-Russia probe that Patel reportedly found in a secret room, while some allege Obama pushed a hoax to undermine Trump’s 2016 victory.
Tulsi Gabbard asserted that critical intelligence was deliberately altered, important evidence was hidden, and false conclusions were created to back allegations of Russian interference against Trump.
Jody Weis, a former FBI special agent, highlighted that John Brennan reportedly informed top officials in 2016 about a Clinton campaign strategy aimed at damaging Trump by promoting a Russian interference scandal, describing these details as potentially significant evidence that could be disclosed.
These revelations suggest a coordinated, years-long effort at high government levels to create false intelligence, but burn bags are meant for document destruction and not for hiding materials for years.

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See Hide headlines from Center sources 1 sources
- 'Secret room' in FBI contains 'burn bags' with sensitive Trump-Russia probe docs: report
  Komo News

Key points from the Right

Director Kash Patel found thousands of classified documents in "burn bags" connected to the Trump-Russia probe.
Tulsi Gabbard accused former President Obama of manipulating intelligence to discredit Trump.
Patel's discovery included documents tied to the classified annex of Special Counsel John Durham's report.
Evidence indicates a coordinated plan involving high-level officials to assist the Clinton campaign against Trump during the 2016 election.

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Sources

Fox News