Trump to declassify controversial text messages, documents related to Russia probe
By Jordan Fabian - 09/17/18 05:40 PM EDT
President Trump has ordered the declassification of a series of highly sensitive documents related to the Russia investigation, the White House announced Monday.
Under the order, classified portions of a surveillance application for former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page and "all text messages relating to the Russia investigation" from former FBI Director James Comey and several other top federal officials could become public.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the decision was made "at the request of a number of committees of Congress, and for reasons of transparency."
The move will please conservatives in Congress who have been clamoring for the documents' release, saying it will back up their argument that the Russia investigation has been tainted by political bias.
But it is likely to ratchet up tensions with law enforcement officials and Democrats who believe such a move is an example of improper interference in an ongoing investigation.
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/407103-trump-to-declassify-controversial-text-messages-documents-related-to