Transcript for Democrats slam Trump's call for new DOJ probe

Everybody get money afternoon you're watching ABC news live on Devin Dwyer joined by our White House reporter about science Jack that they are Justice Department reporter a lot going on this afternoon happening. Right now at the White House president trump is meeting with top law enforcement officials the deputy attorney general the FBI director. And of course the Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats a big story poppy over the weekend when the president. Taking the extraordinary step of note demanding a government investigation. All of the Russia investigations something he hasn't done that before obviously very controversial. On the heels of that New York Times story over the weekend about an FBI informant. Our goal right now to our White House reporter Catherine falter she's there on the north lawn captain bring us up to speed on what's happening right now inside the west wing behind you. Is so Devin we believe that when the president meeting with. FBI director Chris Ray and his deputy attorney general progress it's being an of course. This comes after as you mentioned I'm truck tweeted that he demand for Justice Department. Investigate whether his presidential campaign was improperly surveillance of our cameras can't. On FBI director walking in to the west wing here and we believe that meeting just wrapped up since they'll trying to get. I'm reporting about what exactly they talked about we know that. This it was going to come up and the president we did yesterday down. That he would make this order official today but he offered no further details on that Evans so we believe that meaning just wrapped up since that we need to get. Further details come from exactly what the president requested and what he tells came up and that meeting about this. Alleged and. And we know that the president captor has been agitated about this topic for some time flirted with getting involved but clearly. This New York Times report putting him over the edge taking that extraordinary step Jack. You've been covering the Justice Department reaction to all of this they've been quite measured for some time. But when the president demands on Twitter. That they open a new investigation. A surprising response last night. Well it's it's like you know hot potato burn Ron Rothstein attorney general courses for cues from dealing with Andy's matters that. It falls to the acting attorney general for these matters which is run Rosen Stein. Who's at the white of course is. They. What he did where that is he preferred the inspector general. Which is a delicate way of handling it he did it it sort of puts it into the batch of existing investigations. And him. I think the hope is that that's issued the president it's unclear. Whether he'll be satisfied with that investigation so the president's. Inspector general take a look to see if there were he politics involved but as we know. And we were talking about earlier the president has not always had good things to say about the Justice Department inspector general take a look at this tweet this is from the. Trump Twitter archives just a couple of months ago on February. 282018. The president tweeted why his attorney general Jeff Sessions asking the inspector general to investigate. Potentially massive ice if you set surveillance. It'll take forever has no prosecutorial power it's already late. Disgraceful. Obviously the president there. Preemptively. Sort of blasting the IG. The big question today is what is he going to ask a rose and Stein and ray in this meeting right now. But really what are residents and re going to be there to do because at the core of this it's. Looking into sources and methods of how via yeah I investigate things using informants. Is that routine matter for the FBI protecting. The sources protecting their identities it is important everything the FBI does not just yet be the eight yet any federal law enforcement agency used informants routinely. And exposing them means that other appointments are going to be put on notice that they could be exposed to other going to be willing to come forth with information that could protect Americans. And to remind our viewers if you didn't catch that times story that sent all of this off they've reported that an FBI informant back in 2016 during the campaign. Approached two of president Trump's campaign aides seeking information. Totally. A common place as Jack was saying as the Russian meddling scandal was unfolding trying to get their arms around it. But now these demands for more information was it politically motivated. And members of congress as well have been demanding to see these documents let's bring in our hill reporter Ben Siegel who's been on the case. For some time then you've been tracking this in fact avenue and as Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee has even subpoenaed. The Justice Department to get these records they want to know who the informant it's. That's right DeVon DeVon newness has been digging at the roots of this investigation for quite some time he subpoenaed the justice department for these. Who is this classified information about this informant. And who this person is there's been basically a Tug of war back and forth with the Justice Department over giving these documents over. I got to the point where a couple weeks ago at noon as threatened to hold the attorney general sessions in contempt of congress. And even impeach. The it floated the idea of impeaching some top law enforcement officials to. That got speaker arrived involved that's led to several meetings with the Rosen Stein at the Justice Department and as the president is calling for this investigation of the investigators here. They're still that ongoing Tug of war on Capitol Hill over these classified documents Democrats of course have come out swinging at me and as and the president. Over the weekend senator Mark Warner on the Senate Intelligence Committee. So that anybody who leaks the sort of information reveals the identity of an informant will be breaking the law. And should be prosecuted Adam Schiff who is the the top Democrat on the committee with avenue as he has called this destructive behavior and damaging of the relationship between Capitol Hill in the intelligence community so this is stolen very much ongoing. Dispute between the hill and the object. And the president today are let's calling dead at noon as the man leading the charge for these documents courageous clue the president. Wants to sort of muddy the waters headed to campaign season really rile up the base. He really does and they are really trying to make a big deal about this news about the informant his campaign was sending out emails earlier. Asking people whether they thought the informants information should be. Released and he called DeVon it is over at the CIA calling him a courageous man he's really been at the forefront of and Republican to conservatives who have been pushing back on this Republican probe. It's doing things are really in the president's favor outlook when it comes to the question. So we'll see whether the White House that complies with the hill demands to turn over these documents that's one of the big questions one person though go back to cap from folders. At the White House that is also asking for these documents. The president's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani Catherine he says he wants to get his hands. On any records about this informant before any meeting that the the special counsel. Right he's really in lock step with his client president from. On this he says he hasn't made a formal request a for the documents but intends to do so. Shortly and I put up that all of this rhetoric from the president on Twitter calling for this investigation it's all part of this new strategy that. Really Giuliani as well has also taken on with more aggressive approach to the special counsel. I'm so we're seeing that he wants those documents and DeVon also that other. Headline out of will be Giuliani is he is predicting now that this investigation well. Wrap up by September if the president. Sits for an interview we've heard this a lot over you know house here that it will be over in November December or early early this year and and now we're seeing into the summer. September is let them Giuliani is predicting that all about is that still up in the air along with that. Potential presidential sit down with. You have some great reporting as well Catherine thank you for that check out on ABC news digital her new reporting on the RNC payment. Paul picks his attorney it's a great story popping now on ABC dark comedy BC news app but. I. Behind happening behind all of this of course is the preparation for the big summit with North Korea. Huge times we're in right now as deficits. One thing after the other and are let you've been following this the South Korean president. Is coming to the White House tomorrow three weeks to the day before the summit Singapore. That's Ryan I'll be talking an about the plans for that sat night the South Korean president he himself. Has had historic meetings with Kim general in the past few months in the most recently that meeting. At the demilitarized zone up between the two Koreas. Let you know president trump seems like he couldn't wait to talk sit moon Diane and he called him on Saturday night to talk about. The summit which right now does seem to be a little bit up in the air after North Korea. I've made these threats saying that they might want to pull out of that summit. A we you're gonna see a gesture of goodwill from Kim John potentially potentially it later this week they're planning on parading. The international media and the mountains of North Korea for the destruction this nuclear site doesn't remember that. Things like this have happened before previous talks where they had destroyed certain elements of their nuclear program. Eventually when those talks fell apart. They just were important. It's a big meeting ahead tomorrow the summit at the White House before the summit with the South Korean so much to watch Jack thank you so much are let think you. And we want to leave you with a fine picture today a rite of passage out of the US Naval Academy today. Tradition since 1962 it had all of us captivated or allow this afternoon take a look this is the Herndon monument. Where the pleads the first year students first year cadets there at the Naval Academy have to climb this granite hole which has been. Slathered in vegetable short mean and water. It's a tricky took of two hours and ten minutes to get to the top. Tossed at on top. August time I think the longest running over four hour about middle of the pack some good for them and congratulations to the plea to president of course delivering the commencement address. This Friday the US Naval Academy. That's all for now from here on ABC news live on DeVon too large or reject that they are let signs thank you for watching you can download the ABC news apt to probably has the means all the other stories. The most in its.

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