Trump Orders Declassification of Some FBI Russia Probe Reports
President Donald Trump ordered the declassification of parts of a previously secret warrant application from October 2016 to eavesdrop on Carter Page, a former foreign policy adviser to his presidential campaign who was flagged by intelligence agencies as a target of Russian interest.
He also ordered the declassification of FBI reports on interviews related to Page as well as reports of interviews with Department of Justice official Bruce Ohr regarding the Russia investigation, according to a Monday statement from White House press secretary Sarah Sanders.
Trump also ordered the public release of all text messages relating to the Russia investigation of several current and former officials, including two who were fired -- former FBI Director James Comey and his deputy, Andrew McCabe.
Trump took the rare step after a small group of conservative House Republicans asked him to declassify documents related to the Justice Department’s Russia investigation.
The president and his allies have claimed the documents will expose fatal flaws in the origin of the investigation, which is now run by Special Counsel Robert Mueller and includes whether Trump or any of his associates conspired with Russia to interfere in the election. Trump has referred to the surveillance of Page as "Spy-Gate” and has called the broader a “witch hunt” that is “rigged” against him.
He also ordered the declassification of FBI reports on interviews related to Page as well as reports of interviews with Department of Justice official Bruce Ohr regarding the Russia investigation, according to a Monday statement from White House press secretary Sarah Sanders.
Trump also ordered the public release of all text messages relating to the Russia investigation of several current and former officials, including two who were fired -- former FBI Director James Comey and his deputy, Andrew McCabe.
Trump took the rare step after a small group of conservative House Republicans asked him to declassify documents related to the Justice Department’s Russia investigation.
The president and his allies have claimed the documents will expose fatal flaws in the origin of the investigation, which is now run by Special Counsel Robert Mueller and includes whether Trump or any of his associates conspired with Russia to interfere in the election. Trump has referred to the surveillance of Page as "Spy-Gate” and has called the broader a “witch hunt” that is “rigged” against him.
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