FBI Raid on Dimitri Simes Residence
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents carried out a raid at the Virginia home of Dimitri Simes, a policy analyst and author who advised Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Simes, who currently hosts a current affairs program on Russia’s state-run Channel One, was not present at the time of the search. According to reports from Rappahannock News, the FBI first arrived at Simes’ estate in Rappahannock County, Virginia, on Tuesday morning, returning for a second search on Thursday. Neighbors observed agents confiscating items from the property.
FBI and Simes’ Response
The FBI confirmed the operation but declined to provide further details, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation. “The FBI conducted court-authorized law enforcement activity. We have no further comment as this is an ongoing matter,” the agency stated in response to a request from TASS, a Russian news agency. Simes, who was abroad during the raid, expressed surprise and concern over the search. He told the Guardian that he had not been informed about the search or notified of any investigation against him. “I’m puzzled and concerned. I have not seen a warrant. I was not contacted by any law enforcement or anyone else whatsoever,” he said.
Political and Legal Implications
Simes, whose name appeared more than 100 times in the 2019 Mueller report on Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election, suggested that the raid might be an effort to intimidate him and others who oppose official policies. In an interview with Russian government-owned Sputnik News, he speculated that the FBI’s goal was not to interrogate or arrest him but to discourage him from returning to the United States. Simes began advising Trump’s 2016 campaign on foreign policy after a March 2016 meeting with Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, at a luncheon honoring Henry Kissinger. His advice included promoting greater cooperation with Russia, a stance reflected in a speech Trump gave during his campaign.