story publish april 5th correct typographical error paragraph washington u.s. president donald trump say wednesday think susan rice former top adviser president barack obama commit crime seek identities trump associate mention intercept communications decline request evidence new york time report interview trump decline tell new york time whether review intelligence bolster claim rice say would explain right time rice say immediate comment president remark contact reuters late wednesday erin pelton spokesman rice say email reuters go dignify president ludicrous charge comment trump ally focus unsubstantiated report rice serve obama national security adviser disclose name trump aid sweep u.s. surveillance foreign target rice dismiss report absolutely false interview msnbc tuesday accord five u.s. intelligence officials rice follow standard procedure request national security agency reveal name american citizens contact russians whose communications monitor u.s. intelligence unlikely would know unidentified american connection trump officials say white house national security adviser rice could order nsa reveal identities americans instead could request request number senior officials authorize make trigger legal intelligence review agency determine whether reveal name potential intelligence value could expose security threat unite state say one officials familiar process speak condition anonymity discuss internal intelligence procedures nothing unusual much less suspicious request rice say another intelligence official especially since could reveal russian intelligence contact agents operate unite state official two intelligence officials say nsa often receive dozens request month john culhane professor widener university delaware law school say think rice could credible libel lawsuit trump though public figure like rice face high standard bring claim culhane say could contend trump demonstrate reckless disregard truth president typically enjoy immunity civil lawsuits official act culhane note court could find trump interview newspaper within scope official duties trump decline provide evidence say think obama adviser rice commit crime nyt