WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI was justified in opening its investigation into ties between the Trump presidential campaign and Russia and did not act with political bias, despite “serious performance failures” up the bureau’s chain of command, the Justice Department’s internal watchdog said in a highly anticipated report yesterday. The findings undercut President Donald Trump’s claim that he was the target of a “witch hunt”.

The report from the Justice Department’s inspector general revealed for the first time that the FBI had also sent an informant to record a conversation with a “high-level Trump campaign official”, who was not considered a subject in the Russia probe. The official was not identified by name.

The report also found the bureau was justified in eavesdropping on a former Trump adviser and that there was not documented or testimonial evidence of any political bias.

Yet its nuanced conclusions deny a clear-cut vindication for either side, on the one hand repudiating theories and criticism spread by Trump and his supporters while also finding errors and misjudgements likely to be exploited by Republican allies as the president faces a probable impeachment vote this month.

The president has also sought to downplay expectations, saying repeatedly that he was more eager for the report of John Durham, the hand-picked prosecutor selected by Attorney General William Barr to conduct a separate review of the Russia probe.

That investigation is criminal in nature, and Republicans may look to it to uncover wrongdoing that the inspector general wasn’t examining.

The report comes as Trump faces an impeachment inquiry in Congress centred on his efforts to press Ukraine to investigate a political rival, Democrat Joe Biden — a probe the president also claims is politically biased.

Trump tweeted Sunday: “ IG report out tomorrow. That will be the big story!”

He previously has said that he was awaiting Horowitz’s report but that Durham’s report may be even more important.