Trump claims memo "totally vindicates 'Trump'" in Russia probe
President Trump said on Twitter Saturday morning the memo Republicans released Friday "totally vindicates 'Trump'" in the Russia investigation. Responding on Twitter to the memo for the first time since its release Friday, Mr. Trump said "their was no Collusion and there was no Obstruction," repeating his line that the memo and its surrounding circumstances are an "American disgrace!"
The president's reaction on the social media platform seems to substantiate Democrats' protests that the release of the memo would be used to undermine the credibility of the Russia probe. Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee said in a statement Friday they feared the memo's release would serve as a "shameful effort to discredit" the FBI, Justice Department and investigation of Russian election meddling and any ties to the Trump campaign.
This memo totally vindicates “Trump” in probe. But the Russian Witch Hunt goes on and on. Their was no Collusion and there was no Obstruction (the word now used because, after one year of looking endlessly and finding NOTHING, collusion is dead). This is an American disgrace!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2018
Republicans have publicly insisted the memo doesn't undermine the credibility of the probe.
The memo, crafted by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., Rep Trey Gowdy, R-South Carolina, and two staff investigators, details the application and use of surveillance warrants under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) on former Trump campaign aide Carter Page. The memo looks to connect unverified information used in the Trump dossier compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele in the securing of FISA warrants. The memo does not explain how much Steele's information was key in obtaining the warrants, although the memo does — without quoting him — claim outgoing FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe testified behind closed doors that the warrant would not have been obtained without information from the dossier.
Gowdy, the only GOP investigator who has actually seen the FISA warrant applications — Nunes admitted on Fox News Friday night he had not seen the actual applications — tweeted on Friday night that the memo in no way discredits Mueller's probe.
As I have said repeatedly, I also remain 100 percent confident in Special Counsel Robert Mueller. The contents of this memo do not - in any way - discredit his investigation.
— Trey Gowdy (@TGowdySC) February 2, 2018
Speaker of the House Paul Ryan also said Friday the memo would not "impugn" the Russia probe.
On Friday, the president also called the memo a "disgrace," shortly before it was released.
"The GOP memo is a disgrace," Mr. Trump said in the Oval Office while meeting with a group of North Korean defectors.
"It was declassified and let's see what happens," he said. "But a lot of people should be ashamed."
It's unclear if a memo authored by Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee, which serves as a rebuttal to the GOP memo, will be released. Republicans blocked the release of the Democrats' memo in a vote last week. Nunes on Fox News Friday confirmed there would be another vote on that memo.