On Monday, Donald Trump made a puzzling move by ordering the Justice Department to declassify documents and emails that led to the surveillance of his former aide, Carter Page.
Earlier today, the White House released Trump’s decision in this statement:
The President has directed the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Department of Justice (including the FBI) to provide for the immediate declassification of … the June 2017 application to the FISA court in the matter of Carter W. Page.”
The statement also announced that Trump has also ordered to release “all FBI reports of interviews with Bruce G. Ohr prepared in connection with the Russia investigation; and all FBI reports of interviews prepared in connection with all Carter Page FISA applications” — and many more. The statement continued:
In addition … Trump has directed the Department of Justice (including the FBI) to publicly release all text messages relating to the Russia investigation, without redaction, of James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, and Bruce Ohr.”
JUST IN: Trump has just ordered DNI & DOJ to declassify classified portions of Carter Page’s FISA application & FBI reports of interviews with Bruce Ohr. Plus unredacted Russia investigation-related texts of James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, and Bruce Ohr. pic.twitter.com/Uqr1RmrGg1
— Jeremy Diamond (@JDiamond1) September 17, 2018
This move is an interesting one, especially as Trump was “celebrating” National Constitution Day earlier today on Twitter. Many who have heard about Trump’s request are accusing the president of feigning transparency as he has declassified these items yet continues to hide his tax returns. Some lashed out at the president for picking and choosing what he wanted to declassify in relation to the Russia probe.
Trump’s request is also related to his crusade to convince everyone that the Russia probe is collusion by the Democrats. Earlier today, Trump was attacking former FBI director James Comey and his deputy Andrew McCabe, Justice lawyer Bruce Ohr, former FBI agent Peter Strzok and bureau lawyer Lisa Page of conspiring against him:
Immediately after Comey’s firing Peter Strzok texted to his lover, Lisa Page ‘We need to Open the case we’ve been waiting on now while Andy (McCabe, also fired) is acting. Page answered, ‘We need to lock in (redacted). In a formal chargeable way. Soon.’ Wow, a conspiracy caught?”
Immediately after Comey’s firing Peter Strzok texted to his lover, Lisa Page “We need to Open the case we’ve been waiting on now while Andy (McCabe, also fired) is acting. Page answered, “We need to lock in (redacted). In a formal chargeable way. Soon.” Wow, a conspiracy caught?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 17, 2018
People responded to this news by saying that it was going to blow up in Trump’s face, and it probably will. It always does, every time.
Featured image via screen capture
