Trump blasts Nunes memo as being 'terrible,' claims 'what's going on in this country … it's a disgrace'

(Image credit: Screenshot/Twitter/NBCNews)

published 2 February 2018

On Friday, President Trump addressed his decision to approve the declassification of a controversial memo compiled by Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee. "What's going on in this county, I think it's a disgrace," he told reporters. "A lot of people should be ashamed of themselves, and much worse than that."

Republicans have pushed for the memo to be released, disregarding warnings from the Justice Department that its publication would be "extraordinarily reckless." The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Adam Schiff (Calif.), tweeted that "the country's top elected leader has agreed to selectively and misleadingly release classified info to attack the FBI — that's what would have been unthinkable a short time ago."

Trump approved the memo to be released with no redactions. Both FBI Director Christopher Wray and Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein have petitioned Trump not to release the memo. Wray is rumored to be considering resigning over the memo; when asked if the memo inclined him to fire Rosenstein, Trump told reporters: "You figure that one out."

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.