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FBI Agent Removed From Special Counsel Probe: There Should Be an 'Insurance Policy' for a President Trump

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December 13, 2017

Text messages between FBI agents previously assigned to the special counsel investigation into alleged Russian collusion included a pitch for an "insurance policy" that would cover the possibility of a Trump presidency.

Texts between counterintelligence officer Peter Strzok and attorney Lisa Page referred to then-presidential candidate Donald Trump as an "idiot" and "douche," while viewing his potential victory as "terrifying," CNN reported.

The details were released Tuesday after reports surfaced earlier this month that Strzok was removed from special counsel Robert Mueller's team after a Justice Department internal investigation "uncovered politically tinged messages exchanged with FBI lawyer Lisa Page."

Throughout the primary season in 2016, Strzok and Page appeared to dread a Trump victory, according to the messages reviewed by CNN.

"I cannot believe Donald Trump is likely to be an actual, serious candidate for president," Page texted Strzok on March 16, 2016.

"God(,) Trump is a loathsome human," Page added in another, to which Strzok replies: "Yet he may win."

On Aug. 15, 2016, Strzok texted Page: "I want to believe the path you threw out for consideration in Andy's office," presumably referring to Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe, "that there's no way he gets elected–but I'm afraid we can't take that risk."

"It's like an insurance policy in the unlikely event you die before you're 40," Strzok added.

Politico previously reported the two exchanged texts cheering on Clinton and referring to Trump as an "idiot"

Strzok previously helped lead the FBI's investigation of Hillary Clinton's private email server and was involved in opening the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. He was reassigned to the human resources division this summer following the internal investigation.

Page had also briefly served on Mueller's team before returning to the FBI. She was no longer a part of the special counsel's team when his office was made aware of the texts.

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein is expected to answer questions about the text messages during a House Judiciary Committee oversight hearing Wednesday.