The President had floated the idea of declassification for several weeks, but Monday’s statement from the White House was the first time the full breadth of his intentions was articulated, making clear that he expects materials to be released despite the fact that there’s an active investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into any links between his campaign associates and the Russian government. When asked Tuesday whether he would declassify other documents relating to the Russia investigation Trump only responded: “We’re gonna see.” Most significantly, his request also broadly included “all FBI reports of interviews” prepared in connection with the FISA applications, which are normally closely guarded by the FBI. The President directed the Justice Department and Office of the Director of National Intelligence to initiate the “immediate declassification” of selective portions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act application on former Trump foreign policy aide Carter Page, according to a statement Monday from White House press secretary Sarah Sanders. And I want transparency and so does everybody else.” “It’s a terrible witch hunt and it’s hurt our country and the things that have been found over the last couple of weeks about text messages back and forth are a disgrace to our nation. “This is a witch hunt,” he added, using his derisive reference to the Russia investigation. “We want transparency and what I want is I want total transparency,” Trump said in the Oval Office Tuesday. The move, which has prompted renewed unease about the increasing politicization of intelligence materials, is likely to further inflame tensions between the President and intelligence and law enforcement officials, who have been the target of presidential Twitter tirades and who have voiced concerns in the past about potentially jeopardizing sources and methods. President Donald Trump showed no signs of backing off his highly unprecedented order to declassify various documents and text messages related to the Russia investigation Tuesday, saying he wants it done for “transparency.”
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