Allies of President Donald Trump convinced him to delay the release of classified documents linked to the Russian meddling investigation.
Trump ordered the unredacted release Monday. But Friday morning in a tweet, he said the Department of Justice and some "key allies" voiced concerns, so Trump asked the DOJ's inspector general to review the documents on an "expedited basis."
The materials include text messages from five officials, parts of the Carter Paige FISA warrant application and some FBI interview reports.
Trump's declassification demand was met with backlash. In a letter to the FBI director opposing the release, U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen said, "President Trump’s decision to personally insert himself into the investigative process constitutes a dangerous attempt to infringe upon the impartiality of the Department of Justice and the FBI."
Despite the criticism, Trump still seems willing to unilaterally release the documents. In his tweet Friday, he said he hopes the DOJ inspector general will act quickly. He added, "In the end I can always declassify if it proves necessary. Speed is very important to me — and everyone!"
