Senator John Cornyn, a U.S. Senator from Texas, posted a series of tweets on July 19, 2025, criticizing the FBI’s use of the Steele dossier during its investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
In his first tweet, Cornyn stated: “The FBI should have followed the advice of other intelligence agencies to view Steele’s reports skeptically, and the Bureau should have verified the methodology and the information before using it. Instead, the Bureau used the material in FISA applications and insisted on its” (July 19, 2025).
He continued his criticism by referencing actions taken by political actors during the campaign: “In 2016, the Democratic Party hired a foreign citizen to seek out dirt on a political opponent, provided by foreign sources. Christopher Steele used information gained from sources in Russia-some with direct ties to the Russian Government. That unverified, uncorroborated, foreign” (July 19, 2025).
In another post from that day, Cornyn added: “Other IC agencies wanted to exclude the Dossier from the ICA because they had not verified its sources or its data. All Americans should be deeply troubled that the FBI was willing to accept and use Steele’s information without verifying its sourcing or methodology.” (July 19, 2025).
The Steele dossier refers to a collection of reports compiled by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele in 2016. The dossier contained allegations about connections between Donald Trump’s campaign and Russia. It was funded through intermediaries by entities linked to Hillary Clinton’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee. Multiple investigations later determined that some claims within the dossier were unverified or inaccurate.
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) process allows U.S. authorities to obtain warrants for surveillance related to national security concerns; controversy arose over whether proper procedures were followed when using information from the Steele dossier in these applications.
Senator Cornyn has previously voiced concerns regarding intelligence community practices and transparency during high-profile investigations.
