What “research”?
It’s really just fiction.
Well... the original wasn't fiction. It was a dossier that Obama had the FBI compile on Hillary Clinton back during the DNC primary between himself and Hillary.
It wasn't used because Obama won. So it sat in the archives.
Then it was dusted off, taken overseas and given to Steele to 'edit' and then Steele sold it back to the Clintons, the DNC, The FBI, the CIA.
The FBI showed it to Trump as proof that he needed them to protect him from this kind of stuff. When he didn't listen, they let it out to the media.