I mean, there was completely fabricated documentation and such that was presented as actual reporting/evidence at Trump’s expense, which is pretty much exactly what a hoax is.
I think it might be more accurate for you to say you prefer to keep your head buried in the sand because it is preferable to facing the facts. It’s never been more clear that people are going to believe what they want to believe, even with the flimsiest of evidence.
Multiple investigations concluded that the Russians interfered in the 2016 election on behalf of Trump in an unprecedented manner to an extreme extent. This was not ,"business as usual, they all do it all the time".
AI Overview:
Neither the official U.S. government investigations nor subsequent reporting has produced evidence that Donald Trump was a knowing or "recruited and controlled" Russian agent.
However, multiple investigations, journalistic accounts, and former intelligence officers have highlighted extensive ties between Trump associates and Russia-linked individuals, the Russian government's efforts to interfere in the 2016 election to benefit Trump, and a pattern of behavior and policy decisions by Trump that often aligned with Russian interests.
Key Findings from Official Investigations
Mueller Report: The Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation concluded in 2019 that while the Russian government interfered in the 2016 election in "sweeping and systematic fashion," it "did not establish or disprove that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities" in a criminal sense.
Senate Intelligence Committee Report: A bipartisan Senate report released in 2020 affirmed that Russia engaged in an "extensive campaign" to sabotage the election. It detailed that Trump associates, including Paul Manafort, had regular contact with individuals tied to Russian intelligence and that the campaign expected to benefit from the Kremlin's help, but the report also stopped short of proving a criminal conspiracy.
Intelligence Community Assessment: The U.S. intelligence community has consistently maintained that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a campaign to interfere in the 2016 election with the goal of helping Trump win.
Other Evidence and Allegations
Circumstantial Evidence: Pundits, former intelligence officers, and some authors argue that while no "smoking gun" proves Trump was a formal agent, a pattern of circumstantial evidence suggests he has been a long-term "useful asset" (someone whose actions align with a foreign power's goals, even if not explicitly directed).
Contacts and Cover-ups: Reports documented hundreds of contacts between Trump associates and Russian nationals or intermediaries during the 2016 campaign and transition period, many of which were not initially reported to authorities.
Policy and Rhetoric: Critics point to Trump's public praise for Putin, his questioning of the U.S. intelligence community's findings on Russian interference, and specific policy decisions (such as delaying military aid to Ukraine) as evidence that his actions consistently favored Russian interests, which some view as a functional form of being an asset.
Financial Ties: Trump has a history of business dealings involving Russian interests, including a $95 million real estate sale in 2008 to a Russian billionaire.
In summary, the official investigations did not find evidence of a criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Russian government. However, the comprehensive evidence of Russian interference, extensive contacts by Trump's team, and Trump's behavior and policy choices have led some analysts and political figures to assert that he functioned, wittingly or unwittingly, as a Russian asset.