FBI Was Investigating Trump Earlier Than It Let On, Texts Show The FBI had investigations open into candidate Donald Trump earlier than the July 31, 2016, date long cited in the official narrative, according to newly released text messages (pdf) from fired Deputy Assistant Director Peter Strzok. In a text message to FBI attorney Lisa Page sent on July 28, 2016, Strzok mentioned “our open [counterintelligence] investigations relating to Trump’s Russian connections.” The date of the text message is significant because the bureau has long maintained that it opened the investigations into Trump campaign associates on July 31 of that year. Notably, in the electronic communication (pdf) memorializing the opening of the investigations, Strzok wrote that the probes were triggered by information the bureau received on July 29, 2016. The FBI has never disclosed that it was investigating Trump prior to that date. The bureau didn’t immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.