Attorney General William Barr is accusing the FBI of being "spring-loaded" to investigate President Donald Trump's campaign in the months before the 2016 election.
During an interview with Fox News, Barr said the FBI launched a "very aggressive investigation" into the Trump campaign that ultimately led to the Russia probe.
"I think before the election, I think we were concerned about the motive force behind the very aggressive investigation that was launched into the Trump campaign without — you know, with a very thin, slender reed as a basis for it," Barr said.
"It seemed that the bureau was sort of spring-loaded at the end of July to drive in there and investigate a campaign."
He added, "there really wasn't much there to do that on, and that became more and more evident as they went by, but they seemed to have ignored all the exculpatory evidence that was building up and continued pell-mell to push it forward."
A special counsel investigation found that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. election, but it did not uncover evidence that Trump or his campaign actively sought the assistance of America's Cold War foe.
Trump, however, is still dogged by accusations that he is too close with Russia and its President Vladimir Putin.