The supplemental FBI investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against Judge Brett Kavanaugh has been expanded to allow the agency to investigate anyone necessary to complete its investigation within the one-week timeframe given for the reopened probe.

President Donald Trump appeared to support the expanded scope of the investigation into his Supreme Court nominee during a news conference that began with Trump talking about the just-completed trade agreement with Canada and Mexico but included him taking several questions about Kavanaugh and the supplemental investigation that he authorized Friday.

“They should interview anyone they want within reason,” Trump said. “You have to say within reason.” He also was supportive of — or, at least, not opposed to — the FBI interviewing Kavanaugh himself, saying, “I think so. I think it’s fine if they do. I don’t know. That’s up to them.”

The news of the expansion of the probe, first reported by the New York Times, came as Democrats released a list of more than 20 people who they believe should be interviewed — including all three women who have made on-the-record allegations against Kavanaugh and multiple high school and college classmates of Kavanaugh and the women.



The FBI already has interviewed the four people it was authorized initially to interview, according to the New York Times: Mark Judge, Leland Keyser, and P.J. Smyth, three of the people identified by Christine Blasey Ford as having been at the gathering where she alleges that Kavanaugh assaulted her, as well as Deborah Ramirez, the second woman to come forward, initially in an interview with the New Yorker.

“It wouldn’t bother me at all,” Trump said, when asked if all three women should be interviewed. Trump added, though, in an apparent reference to Julie Swetnick, who has not been interviewed by the FBI thus far, “The third I don’t know much about. It wouldn’t bother me at all. I heard that the third one has — I have no idea if this is true — has very little credibility. If there is any credibility, interview the third one.”