President Donald Trump used a high-profile appearance at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday to issue a pointed directive to Attorney General Pam Bondi, calling for investigations into former House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton over their alleged roles in what he described as the “Russia, Russia, Russia hoax.”
Speaking to an audience gathered to celebrate the unveiling of the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors recipients, Trump pivoted from the arts to politics, revisiting the contentious special counsel investigation led by Robert Mueller during his first term. The probe, which examined Russian interference in the 2016 election, found no evidence of conspiracy between Trump’s campaign and Russia but cast a long shadow over his presidency. Trump has consistently labeled it a politically motivated “hoax” orchestrated by Democrats.
“We had the Russia—I had to go through the ‘Russia, Russia, Russia hoax.’ And it was actually… it was a strain on the relationship,” Trump said, referring to U.S.–Russia diplomacy. “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.”
Trump then directly addressed Bondi, urging action. “I’m looking at Pam because I hope something’s going to be done about it. These people put our country at great danger,” he said, claiming that new intelligence in recent months strengthens his case. “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 president reiterated that the Mueller investigation, staffed with what he called “18 Trump haters,” found no 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,” he said.
Democrats have long defended the Mueller probe, pointing to intelligence confirming Russian efforts to influence the 2016 election. Trump, however, insists it was a smear campaign designed to undermine his presidency. His remarks signal a renewed push for accountability, with Bondi now leading the Justice Department. Whether she will act on Trump’s call remains unclear.
The comments came during an event otherwise focused on the Kennedy Center’s 2025 Honors, which Trump will host in December—the first sitting president to do so. This year’s honorees include George Strait, Sylvester Stallone, Gloria Gaynor, KISS, and Michael Crawford.
Trump, who assumed the Kennedy Center chairmanship earlier this year, has championed a $257 million renovation and criticized what he called past “woke” programming, vowing to restore the venue’s “luxury, glamour, and entertainment.”
By blending cultural celebration with political demands, Trump underscored his hands-on approach to both governance and public appearances—ensuring the “Russia hoax” remains a focal point as he presses for investigations into his longtime political adversaries.
