President Donald Trump has reviewed a controversial classified memo drafted by House Intelligence Committee Republicans accusing the Justice Department of political bias and is expected to formally consent to its release, multiple sources tell ABC News.
The president, who has previously expressed support for publication of the memo, read the four-page document on Wednesday, the sources said. The White House is expected to inform the committee Friday that its review process is complete and that the administration has no objection to the release of the memo, subject to minimal redactions.
Once that is done, it is up to the committee to determine the timing of the release of the memo, administration and congressional sources said.
According to committee rules, the memo would be made public by being entered into the congressional record, a step that can only happen when the House is in session.
Currently, the House is next scheduled to be in session Friday afternoon at 4:30 p.m., and Monday, Feb. 5 – meaning that the memo could formally be released to the public as soon as tomorrow, barring any changes in the House floor schedule. Most House Republicans are in Greenbrier, W.Va., through Friday afternoon for a party retreat.
Sources say the White House is making redactions to the memo based on recommendations from the FBI, which has expressed “grave concerns” about the document’s accuracy and potential impact on national security.
White House Chief of Staff John Kelly met yesterday with five career FBI officials yesterday to review the memo.
The unusual public showdown between the White House and FBI over the memo has put Trump’s handpicked FBI Director Christopher Wray in an uncomfortable position.
Multiple White House sources say there’s no expectation that Wray will resign over publication of the memo and, they say, he has not suggested or threatened in any conversations that he would resign.
President Trump ignored multiple shouted questions from reporters this morning on the timing of the memos release.
