Trump says the GOP memo on alleged abuses at FBI is a "disgrace"
President Trump announced Friday afternoon that the GOP memo alleging abuses of a key surveillance law has been declassified and he called it a "disgrace."
"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."
White House deputy press secretary Raj Shah said that the president declassified the memo and that there were no redactions from the White House. The president requested that it be released in full, Shah said, and that it has been transmitted to the minority and majority of the House Intelligence Committee.
On Friday morning, the president suggested that the FBI and Justice Department have favored Democrats over Republicans in the process that is expected to lead to the release of the Republican memo alleging abuses of a surveillance law. Mr. Trump tweeted that they have "politicized the sacred investigative process" but added that "rank & file are great people."
CBS News' Major Garrett reported late Thursday that the White House was expected to inform Congress on Friday that Mr. Trump is "okay" with publishing the memo prepared by the Republican staff on the House Intelligence Committee, which is chaired by Rep. Devin Nunes, R-California.
Mr. Trump made the comments about the declassification of the memo Friday during a meeting with North Korean defectors. On Tuesday night, he shared the story of a defector who attended the president's first official State of the Union address.
CBS News' Jacqueline Alemany contributed to this report.
