A recent report by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse reveals that the Trump White House significantly restricted the FBI's investigation into sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his 2018 confirmation process. Despite public assurances by then-President Trump that the FBI had 'free rein' to investigate the claims, the report indicates that the FBI was limited to interviewing only ten witnesses and was not authorized to pursue corroborating evidence. Communications between the White House and FBI showed that messages sent to the FBI tip line regarding Kavanaugh were forwarded directly to the White House without further investigation. This constrained investigation, which did not include interviews with Kavanaugh or his accusers, was criticized by Democratic senators and rights advocates as a 'sham.' The limited scope of the inquiry was a significant factor for senators who voted to confirm Kavanaugh, who strongly denied the allegations against him.