WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump and his Republican allies on Friday escalated a campaign against U.S. law enforcement agencies over their probe into Russia by making public a classified memo that the FBI had sought to keep under wraps.

The document, drawn up by congressional Republicans, alleges bias against Trump at the FBI and Justice Department in the investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and ties between Moscow and the Trump campaign.

Ignoring FBI urgings, Trump approved the release of the memo, deepening an extraordinary showdown between the president and senior law enforcement officials over a probe that has dogged him for his first year in office and that is now headed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

As soon as Trump declassified the four-page memo, telling reporters its contents told a disgraceful story of bias against him, Republicans on the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee released it to the public.

The document alleges the FBI concealed the Democratic ties of a source the agency used to justify surveillance on a Trump campaign worker. It says a string of senior Justice Department officials signed off on this.

The memo has become a flashpoint in a battle between Republicans and Democrats over Mueller’s criminal probe, which is also believed to be looking into any attempts to impede the investigation.

Democrats say Trump’s allies hope to use the memo to

protect the president and possibly to give him a reason to fire Deputy U.S. Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who hired Mueller and so would be the person to dismiss him, or even Mueller himself.

Asked by reporters on Friday if he had confidence in Rosenstein, Trump replied, “You figure that one out.”

“A lot of people should be ashamed,” Trump said of the findings in the document.

Trump has repeatedly complained about Mueller’s investigation, denying any collusion or obstruction of justice. Moscow has denied any election meddling.

In a Twitter message on Friday, Trump accused top U.S. law enforcement officers - some of whom he appointed himself - of politicizing investigations.

It was his latest attack on top justice officials. Trump fired FBI Director James Comey in May last year. Comey later told a congressional hearing that he believed his removal was an effort by Trump to undermine the Russia probe.

Senator John McCain, who is regarded as a heavyweight in Congress on foreign affairs, strongly criticized his fellow Republicans and Trump for attacking the FBI and the Justice Department.

“Our nation’s elected officials, including the president, must stop looking at this investigation through the warped lens of politics and manufacturing partisan sideshows. If we continue to undermine our own rule of law, we are doing Putin’s job for him,” McCain said in a statement, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The document, commissioned by the Republican chairman of the House intelligence panel, Devin Nunes, uses the case of investigations into Trump campaign aide Carter Page, saying the FBI used a biased source to justify surveillance on him.

It alleges that a dossier of Trump-Russia contacts compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele, and funded in part by U.S. Democrats, formed an “essential part” of requests to a special court to be allowed to conduct electronic surveillance on Page that began in October, 2016.

It says the initial application and subsequent renewal applications, signed off on by various senior Justice Department officials including Rosenstein, did not mention the link between Steele and the Democrats.

It also portrays Steele as biased, saying he “was passionate about him (Trump) not being president.”

The memo largely repeated allegations that Nunes and others had made publicly previously and did not appear to include major surprises.

Two days ago, in a rare public rebuke of the president and Republicans in Congress who were pushing to release the memo, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said it had “grave concerns about material omissions of fact” in the document and it should not be made public.

The FBI director, Christopher Wray, was appointed by Trump.

“The selective release and politicization of classified information sets a terrible precedent and will do long-term damage to the Intelligence Community and our law enforcement agencies,” Democrats on the House intelligence panel said in a statement.

The Democrats said they hoped to release their own memo responding to the allegations on Feb. 5.

The entire file that the Justice Department used to apply for permission to eavesdrop on Page remains highly classified, making it hard to evaluate the memo’s contents.

In his swipe at U.S. law enforcement leadership on Twitter on Friday, Trump said, “The top Leadership and Investigators of the FBI and the Justice Department have politicized the sacred investigative process in favor of Democrats and against Republicans - something which would have been unthinkable just a short time ago.”

His latest salvo was sure to worsen the president’s frayed relations with agencies that are supposed to be politically independent.

James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence under Democratic President Barack Obama, said Trump’s attack on the FBI and Justice Department was the “pot calling the kettle black.”

Seeking to defuse the conflict over the memo, Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan backed the release of a Democratic counterpoint document. His office said he backed making the Democrats’ rebuttal public if it does not reveal intelligence gathering sources or methods.

Democrats say their counter-memo restores context and information left out of the Republican version. Republicans have resisted releasing that document.</s>
• FBI director Christopher Wray sent a letter to employees Friday urging them to "keep calm and tackle hard" after the release of a highly controversial memo that claims the bureau and the Department of Justice improperly surveilled a Trump campaign adviser.
• The so-called Nunes memo, which was authored by House Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes, has been hotly contested by lawmakers and intelligence officials.
• President Donald Trump and Republicans say the document promotes transparency and holds law enforcement accountable, while Democrats and top DOJ and FBI officials say it contains a host of inaccuracies and omissions that mischaracterize the intelligence community's work.

FBI director Christopher Wray advised employees at the bureau to "keep calm" and continue working following the release Friday of a highly controversial memo claiming that the FBI and the Department of Justice abused their surveillance authority to monitor a former adviser to President Donald Trump's campaign.

The memo was authored by House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes, who has been conducting an independent investigation into what he characterizes as bias and political corruption at the DOJ and FBI since last year.

The memo's release was hotly contested. While Republicans and Trump said its release would promote transparency and hold the government accountable, Democrats and intelligence and law enforcement heads strongly cautioned that the document contained significant inaccuracies and could compromise intelligence-gathering sources and methods.

Trump authorized the memo's declassification Friday morning. The committee released it to the public shortly after.

While Trump and his allies immediately pointed to the document as proof that the top ranks of the DOJ and FBI were tainted with political bias, Democrats said it was much ado about nothing and merely a list of Republican talking points meant to discredit the Russia probe.

Wray, who was one of several top officials to urge the president against signing off on the memo's release, said in his message to employees, "The American people read the papers, and they hear lots of talk on cable TV and social media. But they see and experience the actual work you do — keeping communities safe and our nation secure, often dealing with sensitive matters and making decisions under difficult circumstances. And that work will always matter more," he said.

"Talk is cheap," he added, and "the work you do is what will endure. We speak through our work. One case at a time. One intelligence product at a time. One decision at a time."

Wray's message came as Trump and his Republican allies in Congress and the media mount an increasingly intense campaign that critics say is aimed at discrediting the Russia investigation, special counsel Robert Mueller, and the agencies in charge of overseeing the investigation.

Following the Nunes memo's release on Friday, Wray told agents they must "stay laser-focused on doing great work, even when it's not easy, because we belive in the FBI. We believe in what it stands for and in what this institution means to people."

"And nothing is going to change that," he added. "We're going to keep doing that work, because we know who and what we are, and because we know that our mission comes first. The American people come first."

The FBI director has increasingly been at odds with Trump in recent weeks, whether it be over former deputy director Andrew McCabe's ouster or the Nunes memo. Sources told CNN on Thursday that White House aides were concerned Wray would submit his resignation if Trump authorized the memo's release, adding that the FBI director's stance was "raising hell" in the White House.

Meanwhile, Wray is said to be frustrated that Trump, who hand-picked him to lead the FBI after firing James Comey last May, has dismissed his advice as part of the DOJ's purportedly partisan campaign against the president and his allies.

CBS News also reported on Thursday that Wray was prepared to issue a public rebuttal of the Nunes memo if Trump did choose to declassify it.

The FBI director has not yet indicated that he will do so, but urged employees on Friday to "keep doing your great work and keep being the great people you are."

He added: "Remember: keep calm and tackle hard."

"Thank you for standing strong together, and for keeping your faith in this institution that means so much to all of us," he concluded.</s>US President Donald Trump has approved the release of a secret Republican memo, that reportedly alleges FBI abuse of power.

It is believed the memo relates to the manner in which FBI conducted its inquiry into alleged Russian meddling in US elections.

According to The Washington Post, the memo - which was prepared by the office of House Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes - raises concerns over the surveillance of former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.

Speaking to reporters in the last hour, President Trump claimed the memo tells a "disgraceful story" adding that "a lot of people should be ashamed."

He has now sent it back to Congress, where it is expected to be released.

Earlier today, President Trump accused FBI and US Justice Department leaders of 'politicising' investigations in favour of Democrats.

The memo has been fuelling controversy for days in the US.

It was written by Republican congressional staff members – and Democrats have insisted it is aimed at derailing the ongoing investigations into the Trump campaign.

Republican members of the committee previously voted to publicly release the memo.

Earlier this week, the FBI took the extremely rare step of commenting publicly on the matter – warning that the bureau harboured "grave concerns about material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo’s accuracy."

Democrats, meanwhile, have accused Republicans of using the memo as part of partisan efforts to "discredit the investigations into the Trump-Russia scandal".

The opposition party's leaders in both the House and Senate have called for Nunes to be removed from his committee role over claims he had altered parts of the memo before sending it to the White House.

The memo is believed to claim that the FBI and Justice Department relied on claims within a controversial and unverified dossier prepared on Donald Trump and Russia in order to obtain a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA) warrant on Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.

That dossier - which contains various as yet unverified allegations - was prepared by former British spy Christopher Steele.

It has subsequently emerged the document was initially produced as part of opposition research during the 2016 election campaign.</s>The Latest on President Donald Trump and the FBI (all times local):

 

12:25 p.m.

 

The Republican-led House Intelligence Committee has released a memo based on classified information that alleges the FBI abused U.S. government surveillance powers in its investigation into Russian election interference.

 

President Donald Trump cleared the way for publication of the controversial memo despite objections from the FBI. The four-page memo was drafted by Republicans on the committee chaired by Rep. Devin Nunes of California.

 

The FBI, Justice Department and Democrats have furiously lobbied Trump to stop the release. They say it could harm national security and mislead the public. Republicans on the committee have said they believe they've uncovered serious misconduct that needs to be made public.



 

___

 

12:02 p.m.

 

President Donald Trump says a newly declassified GOP memo alleging FBI abuses shows, "A lot of people should be ashamed of themselves."

 

Trump tells reporters Friday: "The memo was sent to Congress, it was declassified. Congress will do whatever they're going to do. But I think it's a disgrace what's happened in our country."

 

Trump's decision to declassify the memo clears the way for the public release of the document. The memo was prepared by Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee based on classified information and alleges the FBI abused U.S. government surveillance powers in its investigation into Russian election interference.

 

The FBI says it has "grave concerns" about the memo's accuracy.

 

___

 

11:55 a.m.

 

The White House says it has declassified a GOP-authored memo on the Russia probe. That clears the way for the House Intelligence Committee to release the document, which is based on classified information and alleges the FBI abused U.S. government surveillance powers in its investigation into Russian election interference.

 

Principal Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah says President Donald Trump cleared the way for publication of the controversial memo, despite objections from the FBI. The four-page memo was drafted by Republicans on the committee chaired by Rep. Devin Nunes of California.

 

The FBI, Justice Department and Democrats have furiously lobbied Trump to stop the release. They say it could harm national security and mislead the public. Republicans on the committee have said they believe they've uncovered serious misconduct that needs to be made public.

 

___

 

7:12 a.m.

 

President Donald Trump is lashing out at Democrats, as he criticizes the FBI over the investigation of potential ties between Russia and his 2016 campaign.

 

Trump tweeted a quote from the head of the conservative group Judicial Watch Friday morning.

 

He tweeted: "'You had Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party try to hide the fact that they gave money to GPS Fusion to create a Dossier which was used by their allies in the Obama Administration to convince a Court misleadingly, by all accounts, to spy on the Trump Team.' Tom Fitton, JW"

 

Fitton appeared on "Fox and Friends" Friday.

 

Trump is expected to clear the way for the publication of a classified memo on the Russia investigation that Republicans say shows improper use of surveillance by the FBI.

 

___

 

6:45 a.m.

 

President Donald Trump is accusing the FBI and Justice Department of playing politics "in favor of Democrats and against Republicans."

 

Trump tweets: "The top Leadership and Investigators of the FBI and the Justice Department have politicized the sacred investigative process in favor of Democrats and against Republicans - something which would have been unthinkable just a short time ago. Rank & File are great people!"

 

White House officials say President Donald Trump will allow the publication of a classified memo prepared by Republicans accusing the FBI of abusive surveillance tactics in the Russia investigation.

 

The memo is said to allege FBI misconduct in the initial stages of its investigation of potential ties between Russia and Trump's 2016 campaign.

 

____

 

12:19 a.m.

 

White House officials say President Donald Trump will clear the way for the publication of a classified memo on the Russia investigation.

 

The memo, prepared by Republicans on the House intelligence committee, is said to allege FBI misconduct in the initial stages of its investigation of potential ties between Russia and Trump's 2016 campaign.

 

Trump's Justice Department furiously lobbied Trump to stop the release, saying it could harm national security and mislead the public.

 

A White House official said Congress would probably be informed of the decision Friday. A second official said Trump was likely to declassify the congressional memo but the precise method for making it public was still being figured out. The officials were not authorized to be quoted about private deliberations and spoke on condition of anonymity.</s>President Donald Trump cleared the way for publication of the controversial memo despite objections from the FBI. The four-page memo was drafted by Republicans on the committee chaired by Rep. Devin Nunes of California.

The FBI, Justice Department and Democrats have furiously lobbied Trump to stop the release. They say it could harm national security and mislead the public. Republicans on the committee have said they believe they've uncovered serious misconduct that needs to be made public.

 ___

President Donald Trump says a newly declassified GOP memo alleging FBI abuses shows, "A lot of people should be ashamed of themselves."

Trump tells reporters Friday: "The memo was sent to Congress, it was declassified. Congress will do whatever they're going to do. But I think it's a disgrace what's happened in our country."

Trump's decision to declassify the memo clears the way for the public release of the document. The memo was prepared by Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee based on classified information and alleges the FBI abused U.S. government surveillance powers in its investigation into Russian election interference.

The FBI says it has "grave concerns" about the memo's accuracy.

The White House says it has declassified a GOP-authored memo on the Russia probe. That clears the way for the House Intelligence Committee to release the document, which is based on classified information and alleges the FBI abused U.S. government surveillance powers in its investigation into Russian election interference.

Principal Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah says President Donald Trump cleared the way for publication of the controversial memo, despite objections from the FBI. The four-page memo was drafted by Republicans on the committee chaired by Rep. Devin Nunes of California.

The FBI, Justice Department and Democrats have furiously lobbied Trump to stop the release. They say it could harm national security and mislead the public. Republicans on the committee have said they believe they've uncovered serious misconduct that needs to be made public.

President Donald Trump is lashing out at Democrats, as he criticizes the FBI over the investigation of potential ties between Russia and his 2016 campaign.

Trump tweeted a quote from the head of the conservative group Judicial Watch Friday morning.

He tweeted: "'You had Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party try to hide the fact that they gave money to GPS Fusion to create a Dossier which was used by their allies in the Obama Administration to convince a Court misleadingly, by all accounts, to spy on the Trump Team.' Tom Fitton, JW"

Trump is expected to clear the way for the publication of a classified memo on the Russia investigation that Republicans say shows improper use of surveillance by the FBI.

President Donald Trump is accusing the FBI and Justice Department of playing politics "in favor of Democrats and against Republicans."

Trump tweets: "The top Leadership and Investigators of the FBI and the Justice Department have politicized the sacred investigative process in favor of Democrats and against Republicans - something which would have been unthinkable just a short time ago. Rank & File are great people!"

White House officials say President Donald Trump will allow the publication of a classified memo prepared by Republicans accusing the FBI of abusive surveillance tactics in the Russia investigation.

The memo is said to allege FBI misconduct in the initial stages of its investigation of potential ties between Russia and Trump's 2016 campaign.

White House officials say President Donald Trump will clear the way for the publication of a classified memo on the Russia investigation.

The memo, prepared by Republicans on the House intelligence committee, is said to allege FBI misconduct in the initial stages of its investigation of potential ties between Russia and Trump's 2016 campaign.

Trump's Justice Department furiously lobbied Trump to stop the release, saying it could harm national security and mislead the public.

A White House official said Congress would probably be informed of the decision Friday. A second official said Trump was likely to declassify the congressional memo but the precise method for making it public was still being figured out. The officials were not authorized to be quoted about private deliberations and spoke on condition of anonymity.</s>The House Intelligence Committee on Friday released a disputed memo outlining allegations by Republican lawmakers that FBI investigators abused their powers in their probe of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

The memo, written by committee Chairman Devin Nunes of California, was made public shortly after President Donald Trump approved its declassification.

A significant part of the document focuses on Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants that permitted FBI surveillance of former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page, a businessman with interests in Russia.

There had been concerns about Page's alleged contacts with Russian intelligence agents.

The memo asserts that a dossier compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele was an "essential part" of the FISA application to surveil Page, and that the FBI did not mention the Steele dossier had been funded by then-Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's campaign and the Democratic National Committee, or that Steele had previously made anti-Trump statements.

Trump, the FBI and the disputed memo

Speaking to reporters Friday at the White House, Trump said the contents of the memo were "terrible."

"I think it's a disgrace, what's going on in this country," he said. "A lot of people should be ashamed of themselves, and much worse than that."

When asked by a reporter whether releasing the memo made it more likely Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein would be fired, Trump replied, "You figure that one out."

Rosenstein supervises the Russia probe and named special counsel Robert Mueller to lead it.

The release of the memo intensified the battle between Trump and his Republican allies in Congress on one side and Democrats and top FBI officials on the other about whether the probe into Russian interference in the presidential election was affected by political bias on the part of investigators.

The FBI on Friday reissued its statement from earlier this week, saying the agency "takes seriously its obligations to the FISA Court and its compliance with procedures overseen by career professionals."

The FBI noted it was given "limited opportunity" to review the document before lawmakers voted to release it.

"As expressed during our initial review, we have grave concerns about material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo's accuracy," the agency said.

Nunes issued a statement Friday expressing hope that the actions of Intelligence Committee Republicans would "shine a light" on what he called "this alarming series of events."

"The committee has discovered serious violations of the public trust, and the American people have a right to know when officials in crucial institutions are abusing their authority for political purposes," Nunes said. "Our intelligence and law enforcement agencies exist to defend the American people, not to be exploited to target one group on behalf of another."

House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin released a statement saying the "concern outlined" in the memo is a "legitimate one." He said he supported both the release of Nunes' memo as well as a memo produced by minority Democrats on the committee.

"It is critical that we focus on specific actions and specific actors and not use this memo to impugn the integrity of the justice system and FBI, which continue to serve the American people with honor," Ryan said.

The Democratic members of the committee issued a statement lambasting Nunes' decision to release his memo, saying it contains "misleading allegations against the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation [and] is a shameful effort to discredit these institutions, undermine the special counsel's ongoing investigation and undercut congressional probes."

"Most destructive of all may be the announcement by Chairman Nunes that he has placed the FBI and DOJ under investigation, impugning and impairing the work of the dedicated professionals trying to keep our country safe," the statement said.

The Democratic statement accused Republicans of setting a "terrible precedent" by releasing classified information they say will do long-term damage to the intelligence community for the purpose of protecting Trump against charges in the Russia probe.

Representative Adam Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, issued a separate statement questioning what he calls "serious mischaracterizations" in the Republican memo.

"The majority suggests that the FBI failed to alert the court as to Mr. Steele's potential political motivations or the political motivations of those who hired him, but this is not accurate," Schiff wrote. "The GOP memo also claims that a Yahoo News article was used to corroborate Steele, but this is not at all why the article was referenced."

Attorney General Jeff Sessions weighed in on the memo's release Friday, saying he has "great confidence in the men and women of this Department [of Justice]. But no department is perfect."

Former FBI Director James Comey, who headed the agency during the period in question, issued a blistering tweet Friday, calling the Republican memo "dishonest and misleading" and charging that it had "inexcusably exposed [a] classified investigation of an American citizen."

​The president of the FBI Agents Association, Thomas O'Connor, defended the rank-and-file officers and their commitment to their work.

"The American people should know that they continue to be well-served by the world's pre-eminent law enforcement agency," he said in a statement. "FBI special agents have not, and will not, allow partisan politics to distract us from our solemn commitment to our mission."</s>Republicans accused the FBI of anti-Trump bias and abusing its power to wiretap American citizens in an explosive four-page memo published on Friday.

The memo, which was written by Republican aides, claimed that the FBI, in seeking court approval to extend surveillance of former Trump associate Carter Page, failed to disclose that the information used to justify the surveillance was based on research provided by former MI5 agent Christopher Steele – research that was originally financed by Democrats.

The memo claimed that this failure raised concerns about the “legitimacy and legality of certain DOJ and FBI interactions with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court”. Further, it represented a “troubling breakdown of legal processes established to protect the American people from abuses related to the FISA process”, a reference to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) of 1978 which obliges the government to secure permission from a judge on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in order to wiretap an individual.

But Democrats renounced the contents of the memo, accusing Republicans of misrepresenting the intelligence information that was provided to the House Intelligence Committee.

The release of the memo on Friday occurred after President Trump agreed to declassify the information.

Confirming that the document has been declassified he said it was a “disgrace what’s going on in this country”, adding: “A lot of people should be ashamed of themselves.”

In a statement signed by White House Counsel Donald McGahn and attached to the memo, the administration’s top lawyer notes that, while disclosing information of this sort is “extremely rare”, declassification is permitted “when the public interest in disclosure outweighs any need to protect the information”.

The bulk of the memo focuses on the work of Christopher Steele, the former MI6 agent who was hired by Fusion GPS to undertake research on then candidate Trump. It claims that Mr Steele, who was also an FBI source, told then deputy attorney general Bruce Ohr that he was “desperate that Donald Trump not get elected and was passionate about him not becoming president”. This proved the “clear bias” of Mr Steele, but was not mentioned in the FBI’s FISA application, the memo states.

But Democrats have stressed that the Steele information would have been only one strand of information relied on by the FBI when it applied to the court for the warrant.

The memo also specifically names the FBI and Department of Justice officials who signed the original warrant, and three renewal warrants, for Mr Page’s surveillance. They include then FBI director James Comey, former deputy FBI director Andrew McCabe who resigned earlier this week, former acting attorney general Sally Yates who was fired by Mr Trump in January 2017 and the current deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein.

The memo also mentions texts sent between former FBI official Peter Strozk and Lisa Page, who were involved in an extra-marital affair, and which showed anti-Trump bias. Both have since been reassigned.

Following the publication of the memo, the FBI Agents Association issued a statement stating that agents would not be distracted by “partisan politics”.

“The men and women of the FBI put their lives on the line every day in the fight against terrorists and criminals because of their dedication to our country and the constitution. The American people should know that they continue to be well-served by the world’s preeminent law enforcement agency. FBI Special Agents have not, and will not, allow partisan politics to distract us from our solemn commitment to our mission.”

Not all Republicans backed Mr Trump’s stance. In a statement, Republican senator John McCain said: “The latest attacks on the FBI and Department of Justice serve no American interests – no party’s, no president’s, only Putin’s.”</s>President Donald Trump slammed the leadership of the FBI and Department of Justice on Friday ahead of the possible release of a highly controversial Republican memo alleging the FBI abused its surveillance tools, claiming the government agencies "politicized the sacred investigative process in favor of Democrats and against Republicans."

The tweet puts Trump squarely on the side of Republican lawmakers who view the memo, which was penned by House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes and approved for release by the House committee earlier this week, as a document that shows evidence of nefarious motives atop the FBI.

"The top Leadership and Investigators of the FBI and the Justice Department have politicized the sacred investigative process in favor of Democrats and against Republicans - something which would have been unthinkable just a short time ago," Trump wrote. "Rank & File are great people!"

Trump has signaled for days that he is inclined to release the memo.</s>The following is a PDF of the memo on the Russia probe from Rep. Devin Nunes, R-CA, and other House Republicans and released Friday by the Intelligence Committee.

The following is a PDF of the memo on the Russia probe from Rep. Devin Nunes, R-CA, and other House Republicans and released Friday by the Intelligence Committee.

(AP Photo/Evan Vucci). President Donald Trump walks to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Thursday, Feb. 1, 2018, in Washington. Trump is traveling to speak at the House and Senate Republicans' annual legislative planning conference...

(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik). President Donald Trump, accompanied by from left, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., sp...

(AP Photo/Matt Rourke). Rep. Adam Schiff, D- Calif., ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, arrives to speak at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Thursday, Feb. 1, 2018.

(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik). Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., attends a speech by President Donald Trump at the 2018 House and Senate Republican Member Conference at The Greenbrier, in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., Thursday, Feb. 1, 2018.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on President Donald Trump and the FBI (all times local):

The top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee is challenging the accuracy of a memo released Friday by House Republicans.

President Donald Trump declassified the memo Friday, and Republicans released it in an effort to prove surveillance abuses at the FBI.

Virginia Sen. Mark Warner says he read the classified documents that formed the basis for the memo, and "they simply do not support its conclusions."

Only two members of the House intelligence panel, one Republican and one Democrat, have read those underlying documents.

Warner says the act of declassifying information could make it harder for the intelligence committees to conduct oversight and could endanger Americans overseas.

North Carolina Republican Sen. Richard Burr chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee. A spokeswoman says he's not commenting comment on the memo.

House Democrats are angry about the release of a classified GOP memo intended to show surveillance abuses at the FBI. They say it's an underhanded effort to protect President Donald Trump and discredit the investigations into Russian election meddling.

Democrats on the House intelligence panel had tried to block the memo's release. They say it mischaracterizes the motivations behind a 2016 surveillance warrant on Trump campaign official Carter Page.

They also criticized House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes for not having read the classified material that formed the basis for the memo.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi says that by disclosing classified information, Trump had "sent his friend Putin a bouquet." She's referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Democrats on the House Judiciary committee said House Republicans are "accomplices" to obstruction of justice.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions is defending is deputy in the face of criticism from the president.

Sessions broke from prepared remarks in a speech Friday on human trafficking. He praised Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein (ROH'-zen-styn) as well as the department's No. 3 official, Rachel Brand.

Sessions says both are experienced lawyers and "represent the kind of quality and leadership that we want in the department."

That's a departure from President Donald Trump, who was asked Friday whether he has confidence in Rosenstein. Trump said, "You figure that one out."

The criticism stems from a newly declassified GOP memo alleging the FBI abused surveillance powers in its investigation into possible cooperation between Russia and the Trump campaign.

Trump said, "A lot of people should be ashamed of themselves."

The White House says President Donald Trump declassified the controversial GOP memo alleging FBI impropriety because the public interest outweighs any classification concerns.

The White House counsel says in a letter, "In light of the significant public interest in the memorandum, the President has authorized the declassification of the Memorandum."

The FBI and Department of Justice both opposed the memo's release, and the FBI says it has "grave concerns" about the memo's accuracy.

House Intelligence Committee Republicans say they found "serious violations of the public trust" by intelligence and law enforcement agencies investigating Russian interference in the 2016 campaign.

That's according to committee chairman Devin Nunes (NOO'-nehs). The California Republican sent out a statement after his committee released a controversial memo detailing what he says are abuses of power at the FBI and Department of Justice.

Nunes says he hopes the release "will shine a light on this alarming series of events" and spur "reforms that allow the American people to have full faith and confidence in their governing institutions."

The FBI had warned against releasing the memo. Democrats say the allegations are made solely to discredit the investigation.

The Republican-led House Intelligence Committee has released a memo based on classified information that alleges the FBI abused U.S. government surveillance powers in its investigation into Russian election interference.

President Donald Trump cleared the way for publication of the controversial memo despite objections from the FBI. The four-page memo was drafted by Republicans on the committee chaired by Rep. Devin Nunes of California.

The FBI, Justice Department and Democrats have furiously lobbied Trump to stop the release. They say it could harm national security and mislead the public. Republicans on the committee have said they believe they've uncovered serious misconduct that needs to be made public.

President Donald Trump says a newly declassified GOP memo alleging FBI abuses shows, "A lot of people should be ashamed of themselves."

Trump tells reporters Friday: "The memo was sent to Congress, it was declassified. Congress will do whatever they're going to do. But I think it's a disgrace what's happened in our country."

Trump's decision to declassify the memo clears the way for the public release of the document. The memo was prepared by Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee based on classified information and alleges the FBI abused U.S. government surveillance powers in its investigation into Russian election interference.

The FBI says it has "grave concerns" about the memo's accuracy.

The White House says it has declassified a GOP-authored memo on the Russia probe. That clears the way for the House Intelligence Committee to release the document, which is based on classified information and alleges the FBI abused U.S. government surveillance powers in its investigation into Russian election interference.

Principal Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah says President Donald Trump cleared the way for publication of the controversial memo, despite objections from the FBI. The four-page memo was drafted by Republicans on the committee chaired by Rep. Devin Nunes of California.

The FBI, Justice Department and Democrats have furiously lobbied Trump to stop the release. They say it could harm national security and mislead the public. Republicans on the committee have said they believe they've uncovered serious misconduct that needs to be made public.

President Donald Trump is lashing out at Democrats, as he criticizes the FBI over the investigation of potential ties between Russia and his 2016 campaign.

Trump tweeted a quote from the head of the conservative group Judicial Watch Friday morning.

He tweeted: "'You had Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party try to hide the fact that they gave money to GPS Fusion to create a Dossier which was used by their allies in the Obama Administration to convince a Court misleadingly, by all accounts, to spy on the Trump Team.' Tom Fitton, JW"

Trump is expected to clear the way for the publication of a classified memo on the Russia investigation that Republicans say shows improper use of surveillance by the FBI.

President Donald Trump is accusing the FBI and Justice Department of playing politics "in favor of Democrats and against Republicans."

Trump tweets: "The top Leadership and Investigators of the FBI and the Justice Department have politicized the sacred investigative process in favor of Democrats and against Republicans - something which would have been unthinkable just a short time ago. Rank & File are great people!"

White House officials say President Donald Trump will allow the publication of a classified memo prepared by Republicans accusing the FBI of abusive surveillance tactics in the Russia investigation.

The memo is said to allege FBI misconduct in the initial stages of its investigation of potential ties between Russia and Trump's 2016 campaign.

White House officials say President Donald Trump will clear the way for the publication of a classified memo on the Russia investigation.

The memo, prepared by Republicans on the House intelligence committee, is said to allege FBI misconduct in the initial stages of its investigation of potential ties between Russia and Trump's 2016 campaign.

Trump's Justice Department furiously lobbied Trump to stop the release, saying it could harm national security and mislead the public.

A White House official said Congress would probably be informed of the decision Friday. A second official said Trump was likely to declassify the congressional memo but the precise method for making it public was still being figured out. The officials were not authorized to be quoted about private deliberations and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>Kellyanne Conway said Friday that President Trump is not concerned about FBI Christopher Wray resigning over the possible release of the memo.

“The president has not express that concern at all,” Mrs. Conway, counselor to the president, said on Fox News.

She said that Mr. Trump supports members of the justice system, including those at the Federal Bureau of Investigation and at the Department of Justice, but did say there has been proven bias in both organizations.

“This particular investigation has taken a lot of twists and turns, and it’s led us to a few bad actors who had direct responsibility for an investigation about his political opponent and are obviously biased against him,” she explained.

The memo, written by Rep. Devin Nunes, a California Republican who chairs the House intelligence committee, alleges abusive practices within the justice system in order to obtain warrants on Trump campaign aides. The committee voted to release the document on Monday, but Mr. Trump has the final word on whether it will be released. He has until Monday to make a decision.
U.S. President Donald Trump authorizes Congress to release the Nunes memo, against the wishes of the FBI, Department of Justice, and lawmakers from both sides, all of whom say that the document's release poses a risk to national security.