Politics
NEW: Trump Calls Out Pam Bondi, Demands Investigations Into Schiff And Hillary
President Donald Trump used his appearance at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday to deliver a direct call for action, urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate former House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton over what he repeatedly called the “Russia, Russia, Russia hoax.”
Trump, who earlier in the evening unveiled the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors recipients, shifted from celebrating the arts to blasting what he described as one of the most damaging political schemes in modern history. Speaking to the audience, Trump recalled the cloud of suspicion that dogged his administration from the moment he took office, pinning the blame squarely on Schiff and Clinton.
“We had the Russia, I had to go through the ‘Russia Russia hoax.’ And it was actually… it was a strain on the relationship,” Trump said, referring to U.S.-Russia diplomacy during his presidency.
“I actually told him, I said, you know, they got this phony investigation going on — Russia, Russia, Russia — totally phony, created by Adam Schiff, shifty Schiff and Hillary Clinton and the whole group of them. And it made it very dangerous for our country because I was unable to really deal with Russia the way we should have been,” Trump continued.
“I’m looking at Pam because I hope something’s going to be done about it. These people put our country at great danger. And Adam Schiff… was all made up. It was a hoax. The Mueller report came out. They all hated me.”
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The president reminded the crowd that the special counsel investigation assembled “18 Trump haters” but ultimately found no evidence of collusion.
“They couldn’t believe they couldn’t find anything. After years of investigation, it was all a hoax. It was a hoax created by the Democrats, but in particular, Schiff and Crooked Hillary, the whole group,” Trump said.
He also referenced new information that has emerged in recent months, saying it should lead to accountability.
“Now we’ve learned all the stuff that’s come out over the last two months is incredible through intelligence. And hopefully something is going to happen with it. These are people that put our country in danger, in real danger.”
The Russia investigation — led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller — dominated much of Trump’s first term. While it concluded without establishing conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, Democrats argued the probe was necessary given intelligence findings of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Trump has long maintained it was a politically motivated smear campaign designed to cripple his presidency.
His comments Wednesday suggest he intends to keep that fight alive, now with Bondi at the helm of the Justice Department. Whether Bondi takes public steps toward opening investigations remains to be seen, but Trump’s directive at the Kennedy Center makes clear he expects movement — and soon.
The sharp political remarks came during a night that was otherwise framed around the Kennedy Center’s upcoming December ceremony, which Trump will host — the first sitting president ever to do so. The 2025 honorees include country legend George Strait, action star Sylvester Stallone, disco icon Gloria Gaynor, glam rock band KISS, and English stage actor Michael Crawford.
Trump has taken a hands-on role in reshaping the Kennedy Center since assuming its chairmanship earlier this year. He has removed several board members, replaced them with allies, and criticized what he called “woke” programming. He has pledged to restore the venue’s “luxury, glamour, and entertainment,” backing a $257 million renovation plan.
