- In May 2019, shortly after special counsel Robert Mueller released his report, Barr appointed then-U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut Durham to investigate the origins and conduct of the FBI inquiry into alleged ties between former President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia.
- Barr elevated Durham to special counsel status in the final months of the Trump administration, giving Durham extra protections to continue his work once President Joe Biden took office.
- Trump and his allies often champion Durham’s investigation as a means to unravel a suspected “Russiagate” plot against the former president.
