The Rolling Stones song that named a major FBI investigation

Society · Published 19 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: When the FBI launched a massive counterintelligence probe into Russian interference in 2016, they didn't choose a dry, bureaucratic title. They reached for rock and roll, naming the operation after a famous Rolling Stones lyric. But the investigation's origins remain a subject of intense scrutiny.

Crossfire Hurricane was the official code name for the FBI's counterintelligence investigation into potential links between the 2016 Trump presidential campaign and Russian government efforts to interfere in the U.S. election. The name was notably inspired by the opening line of the Rolling Stones song "Jumpin' Jack Flash." Interestingly, the Trump campaign had also prominently featured another Stones hit, "You Can't Always Get What You Want," during the 2016 election cycle.

The investigation officially launched on July 31, 2016. While some figures, including Donald Trump, alleged the probe was opened on false pretenses for political reasons, a 2019 review by Justice Department Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz found no evidence of political bias tainting its initiation. However, the review did identify 17 errors or omissions in the FBI's FISA warrant applications regarding former Trump aide Carter Page. This led to the Department of Justice declaring two of the four warrants invalid in January 2020.

The primary trigger for the probe was information regarding George Papadopoulos, a campaign adviser. In early 2016, Papadopoulos met with Maltese professor Joseph Mifsud, who claimed Russian officials possessed damaging material on Hillary Clinton. This information eventually reached the Australian government, who advised American authorities of an encounter between Papadopoulos and the Australian High Commissioner to Britain. This specific tip spurred the FBI to act. While the investigation eventually resulted in the Mueller Report, which confirmed systematic Russian interference, it did not establish that the campaign had conspired or coordinated with the Russian government.

The probe's scope was initially focused on identifying which individuals associated with the Trump campaign might have received the alleged Russian offer of assistance. This included high-profile figures like Michael Flynn, Paul Manafort, and Roger Stone. The investigation was eventually taken over by the Special Counsel in May 2017, leading to the comprehensive Mueller Report in March 2019.

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