Trump aide warned by FBI about contacts from Russians: report

FBI agents warned White House communication director Hope Hicks that Russian operatives were attempting to contact her during President Trump’s transition period, according to a new report.

The Times also reported that Hicks was interviewed by investigators working for special counsel Robert Mueller on Thursday and Friday.

Sources familiar with the events told The New York Times that Hicks met with FBI agents in the White House situation room after President Trump took office to warn her about emails she received from email addresses linked to the Russian government.

The emails were received after Trump won the election.

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The FBI met multiple times with Hicks following an initial meeting with Trump staff warning against espionage threats, according to the Times. The warnings to Hicks were more specific than the warnings to all staff. 

The FBI agents warned Hicks against several specific Russians who emailed her, saying they were not who they said they were, according to the Times, and that the messages may have been part of a larger operation conducted by Russian intelligence officials.

The FBI also met with at least one other person close to the president, according to the report.

There is no information on the content of the emails or any evidence that Hicks is guilty of any wrongdoing.

A lawyer for Hicks and the FBI did not comment on the report when contacted by the Times.

The meetings took place amid a federal investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and possible collusion between Trump campaign officials and Moscow. Mueller is currently leading that investigation. It is not clear whether the FBI meetings with Hicks came up in interviews with the aide.

Hicks is one of Trump’s longest-serving aides, joining his presidential campaign in its infancy and remaining with Trump as he entered the White House.

– Josh Delk contributed to this report which was updated at 5:17 p.m.