The nation’s intelligence chief expressed hope Friday that Attorney General William Barr would adhere to “long-established standards” during his investigation into the origins of the Russia probe — but warned the release of “highly-sensitive classified information” would imperil national security.
“Much like we have with other investigations and reviews, the Intelligence Community (IC) will provide the Department of Justice all of the appropriate information for its review of intelligence activities related to Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election,” Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said in a statement.
“As part of that process, I am confident that the Attorney General will work with the IC in accordance with the long-established standards to protect highly-sensitive classified information that, if publicly released, would put our national security at risk,” Coats said.
He added that the intelligence community “will continue to faithfully execute its mission of providing timely, apolitical intelligence to the President and policymakers.”
The steely words of caution from America’s top intelligence official follow President Donald Trump’s memo Thursday granting Barr sweeping new investigatory powers, allowing the attorney general to make public classified documents related to the Justice Department’s inquiry into Russia and the 2016 election.
Trump on Thursday also directed his administration's intelligence agencies “to quickly and fully cooperate” with Barr, according to a statement from White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
Congressional Democrats and former intelligence officials have expressed skepticism toward Barr’s investigation, which the president defended Friday as a fact-finding mission not borne out of a desire for political retribution.
“We're going to find out what happened and why it happened,” Trump told reporters outside the White House. “Let me just tell you: It's not payback; I don't care about payback. I think it's very important for our country to find out what happened.”
Article originally published on POLITICO Magazine
