President Trump on Monday ordered the Justice Department to declassify significant materials from the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Trump also instructed the department to publicly released the unredacted text messages of several former high-level Justice Department and FBI officials, including former FBI director James B. Comey and deputy director Andrew McCabe. Trump also ordered the release of text messages written by FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page. The Justice Department is no stranger to confrontations with conservative lawmakers and even the White House over making materials public. Mueller is investigating, among other things, Trump’s efforts to pressure Justice Department leaders as part of his inquiry into whether the president sought to obstruct justice.

Source: Washington Post September 17, 2018 21:50 UTC