President Trump said Friday his order to declassify documents related to the federal government’s investigation into possible collusion with Russia in the 2016 election would be delayed until they can be reviewed by the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General.
In a pair of tweets Friday morning, Trump said Justice Department officials agreed to release the documents, but said doing so could have a “perceived negative impact on the Russia probe.”
“Also, key Allies’ called to ask not to release,” Trump added. “Therefore, the Inspector General has been asked to review these documents on an expedited basis. I believe he will move quickly on this (and hopefully other things which he is looking at).”
“In the end I can always declassify if it proves necessary,” Trump added. “Speed is very important to me — and everyone!”
[Hayden: ‘Getting close’ to intelligence community revolt over Trump’s declassification order]
I met with the DOJ concerning the declassification of various UNREDACTED documents. They agreed to release them but stated that so doing may have a perceived negative impact on the Russia probe. Also, key Allies’ called to ask not to release. Therefore, the Inspector General…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2018
….has been asked to review these documents on an expedited basis. I believe he will move quickly on this (and hopefully other things which he is looking at). In the end I can always declassify if it proves necessary. Speed is very important to me – and everyone!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2018
Trump’s mention of “allies” appears to be a reference to foreign governments. In an interview with Fox News Thursday night, Trump said the process was “moving along,” but also said officials had to deal with “foreign countries that do have a problem” with the decision.
“I must tell you, I got called today from two very good allies saying, ‘Please, can we talk?’ So it’s not as simple as all of that. And we do have to respect their wishes. But it will all come out,” Trump said.
Trump on Monday ordered the Justice Department and FBI to immediately declassify key documents related to the Justice Department and FBI’s investigation on Russian actions during the 2016 presidential election. That decision came after Republicans had argued for months that more needs to known about how the Obama administration’s Justice Department decided to investigate members of Trump’s campaign.
The documents ordered declassified are a handful of pages of the June 2017 application to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to continue surveillance of Trump campaign aide Carter Page, which originally began in 2016. The order covers all FBI reports of interviews prepared in connection with all surveillance applications of Page be declassified and released.
Trump also ordered the declassification of all FBI reports of interviews DOJ official Bruce Ohr prepared in connection with the Russia investigation. Ohr had a close relationship with former British spy Christopher Steele, the author of the dossier connecting Trump to Russia. Steele was hired by Fusion GPS, the same opposition research firm where Bruce Ohr’s wife, Nellie Ohr, worked.
[Also read: GOP not giving up on testimony from Bruce Ohr’s wife]
Trump directed the Justice Department and FBI “to publicly release all text messages relating to the Russia investigation, without redaction,” of Comey and Ohr, as well as former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.
The text messages of Peter Strzok and Lisa Page were also ordered to be released without redaction. Strzok and Page were both part of the FBI’s investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server, as well as the Russia investigation.
Strzok and Page, who were having an extramarital affair, were also detailed to the special counsel’s team, before being removed when Mueller found the two sent disparaging and biased text messages about Trump to one another. Strzok was eventually fired by the FBI and Page resigned.
Trump and Republicans have continually questioned the credibility of the Russia investigation, specifically how much the dossier, which was paid for by Democrats, was used by top federal law enforcement officials to justify launching it in 2016. Republicans have also insisted that the release of Russia-related documents will show overall bias atop the Justice Department and FBI.
Special counsel Robert Mueller took over the investigation in May 2017.
Democrats have decried the GOP efforts, characterizing them as a means to discredit Mueller’s investigation.
