Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said the House Intelligence Committee's decision to conclude there was no collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia smells of politics.
Speaking to CNN from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Schiff — the top-ranked Democrat on the panel — addressed Monday evening's news the GOP-led committee has finished its investigation.
"It doesn't come as a complete surprise," Schiff said. "The Republicans have said for some time they're under immense pressure to shut down the investigation. And it was apparent, really, from the very beginning, from last March when our chairman [Rep. Devin Nunes] went on that midnight run to the White House, that their real objective was protecting the president. It wasn't doing a credible investigation."
Schiff said it was clear Republicans on the committee only had the president's interest in mind, particularly when they allowed witnesses to not answer certain questions in front of the panel.
"The fundamental problem from the beginning was that my colleagues viewed their job as protecting their client, the president, rather than getting to the truth, and I think that's a grave disservice to the country," he said.
Trump weighed in on the finding by repeating the news on Twitter in all caps. Schiff fired back at him, saying the conclusion was actually a statement from Republican members of the committee, not an official decision of the entire panel.
In another tweet, Schiff had more harsh words for his Republican colleagues:
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.