President Trump asked two top national intelligence officials in March to deny allegations that his campaign associates worked with the Russian government to rig the presidential election, a move the Trump administration has denied.
The Washington Post reported Monday evening that Trump petitioned Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and National Security Agency Director Michael Rogers to debunk the claims.
Trump was said to have approached the men after former FBI Director James Comey testified before the House Intelligence Committee in mid-March that the FBI was investigating “the nature of any links between individuals associated with the Trump campaign and the Russian government and whether there was any coordination between the campaign and Russia’s efforts.”
Both men refused to denounce the investigations, saying it was inappropriate, according to officials with knowledge of the requests.
The Trump administration denied the report shortly after it was released.
“The White House does not confirm or deny unsubstantiated claims based on illegal leaks from anonymous individuals. The president will continue to focus on his agenda that he was elected to pursue by the American people,” the White House said.
