Trump's NSC Russia expert was 'under investigation for espionage' trends now
A former senior director at the National Security Council was under an espionage-related investigation for months before he joined the White House, sources have told DailyMail.com.
Dr. Andrew Peek, NSC senior director for European and Russian affairs under President Trump, was marched out of the White House amid a reported 'security investigation' in January 2020.
The details of the spy probe have remained a mystery – until now.
Sources close to the investigation claimed his alleged suspicious activity that sparked the probe in 2019 included persuading a State Department staffer to forward him her high-ranking boss's emails, diverting official trips to unrelated destinations in the Czech Republic and Qatar, and even buying a 'swastika pendant' for his then-girlfriend on one Doha trip.
Dr. Andrew Peek, NSC senior director for European and Russian affairs under President Donald Trump, was escorted from the White House grounds in January 2020 amid a reported 'security investigation
Peek (pictured with Kurdistan Prime Minister Masrur Barzani) had been working at the State Department as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Iraq and Iran when he was suddenly tapped to join the National Security Council to oversee Russian and European affairs
A spokesperson for Peek told DailyMail.com the claims were 'false' and 'salacious mud-slinging'.
Peek was working for the State Department at the time of the October 2019 probe, when he was suddenly tapped by Donald Trump's National Security Advisor (NSA) Robert O'Brien to join his White House team in a highly sensitive role: leading the Russia desk.
Two sources who were in senior positions in the State Department and White House at the time said O'Brien would have been briefed on the investigation by Diplomatic Security Services – but decided to hire Peek anyway.
They were surprised Peek was able to keep the top security clearances necessary to do his job despite being the target of an espionage-related probe.
'There were incidents that began to arouse my suspicions,' one former White House source close to the investigation told DailyMail.com.
'His personal scheduler was one of the people who flagged to their boss that he was taking these extended trips.
'Every place he spent a great deal of time was an absolute hive of either Iranian or Qatari officials.
'There were women in the department that he'd sort of date. But it was more getting them to do things for him and provide information for him.
'The Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs is probably the most powerful position besides Secretary of State at the department.
Trump's National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien would have been briefed on the investigation into Peek by Diplomatic Security Services – but decided to hire him anyway, sources told DailyMail.com
'He had a girl in that office who had access to all of her boss's [David Hale] emails and she often sent them to Andrew. Their relationship was quite strange.
'She was sending him these very sexual messages.'
The source said State Department security officials were particularly interested in one disturbing gift Peek allegedly gave one of his Jewish girlfriends – a swastika necklace – because it proved he had visited the Qatari capital Doha at a certain time relevant to their investigation.
'When he came back from his trips he would always bring some kind of gift. It would frequently be from a particular market in Doha,' the source said.
'Towards the end of one particular relationship he gave the girl a necklace. It was a swastika. It's not a normal item people sell at the airport, and it's a very weird thing to give to a Jewish girlfriend.
A White House source said security officials were interested in the necklace because it was allegedly evidence of Peek having been in Doha at a specific period of time.
Peek was said to have dated women in the State Department who would 'provide information' to him
However, a source close to Peek who was also briefed on the investigation told DailyMail.com the Trump staffer never bought a swastika necklace, and denied that he had inappropriately obtained others' emails.
Peek's ex-girlfriend, who allegedly received the necklace, declined to comment.
The source close to Peek said he took commercial flights to Baghdad for his job that had layovers in Doha, and that all his official travel was approved by the State Department.
Sources said security officials also interviewed witnesses about Peek's alleged trips to Prague, and his relationship with a Czech model.
One source with direct knowledge of the relationship who was interviewed by investigators said that Peek's conversations with the model were mainly about foreign policy and national security issues.
'He had a ton of different apps for communicating with people overseas, two different WhatsApp accounts, and there was constant communication with this girl in the Czech Republic,' the source said.
'So he had this hot Czech supermodel girlfriend who happened to be really interested in foreign policy.
The source close to Peek said all the claims against him had been fully investigated by law enforcement, and said that Department of Justice officials had told Peek's lawyers they were declining to prosecute.
The State Department did not respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com.
A spokesperson for Peek also claimed the espionage-related probe was dropped.
'Dr. Andrew Peek has served his country honorably in military service in Afghanistan, at the White House, State Department, and as foreign policy advisor to U.S. senators,' the spokesperson said.
'The Daily Mail's reporting is based on salacious mud-slinging and has dredged up false allegations, which were investigated years ago
