President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE this week gave Attorney General William Barr Bill BarrHarris faces pivotal moment with Supreme Court battle Hillicon Valley: DOJ proposes tech liability shield reform to Congress | Treasury sanctions individuals, groups tied to Russian malign influence activities | House Republican introduces bill to set standards for self-driving cars McCarthy threatens motion to oust Pelosi if she moves forward with impeachment MORE new authorities to examine and possibly release classified material related to the Justice Department’s inquiry into the origins of the Russia investigation.

The move is widely perceived as an effort by Trump to ramp up his administration’s probe of surveillance directed at members of his 2016 campaign. The president and his allies have suggested that federal agents biased against him improperly initiated the investigation into Russia's election interference.

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Barr said last month he would examine the “genesis and conduct” of the Russia probe, adding that he believed the Trump campaign was “spied” on and wanted to ensure it was “adequately predicated.” Those remarks drew fire from Democrats, who accused him of advancing a conspiracy theory.

Here are five things you need to know about Trump’s new direction.

Sweeping powers for Barr

On Thursday evening, Trump instructed top intelligence officials, including Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats Daniel (Dan) Ray CoatsFBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - Trump, Biden renew push for Latino support Former Intel chief had 'deep suspicions' that Putin 'had something on Trump': book MORE and CIA Director Gina Haspel Gina Cheri HaspelCIA letting less intelligence on Russia reach Trump: report Russian bounties revive Trump-GOP foreign policy divide Overnight Defense: House panel votes to ban Confederate flag on all Pentagon property | DOD report says Russia working to speed US withdrawal from Afghanistan | 'Gang of Eight' to get briefing on bounties Thursday MORE, to “quickly and fully” cooperate with Barr’s investigation into “surveillance activities” during the 2016 election.

Barr was also given the authority to unilaterally declassify materials related to the investigation, allowing him to “direct” intelligence officials to declassify them. Such documents usually go through an interagency process to determine what can be declassified and released publicly, and the agency where the intelligence originated has to sign off on the final declassification.

The White House memo sent to intelligence agencies on Thursday said Barr should, “to the extent he deems it practicable,” consult with intelligence officials before declassifying certain materials.

The move affords Barr considerable new powers to view and potentially release highly classified material gathered by the FBI and CIA in the course of the Russia investigation.

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“As far as I know, it is unprecedented for the president to delegate his authority to declassify to somebody who is not the original classifier,” said Steven Cash, an ex-CIA officer and former chief counsel to Sen. Dianne Feinstein Dianne Emiel FeinsteinFeinstein 'surprised and taken aback' by suggestion she's not up for Supreme Court fight Democrats shoot down talk of expanding Supreme Court Biden leads Trump by 12 points among Catholic voters: poll MORE (D-Calif.).

“He’s now in the chain of command with respect to classification between the president and Coats or Haspel or whoever’s information it is,” added Cash, who is now an attorney specializing in national security law at the law firm Day Pitney.

Trump’s move also reflects the growing trust he has in Barr, who has earned praise from the president as a result of his handling of special counsel Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE’s report and decision to open up an inquiry into the origins of the Russia investigation.

The new declassification powers are limited to materials related to Barr’s inquiry into the Russia probe. The memo released Thursday states that the powers will terminate when Barr leaves his post and will not extend to the next attorney general.

Potential for conflict with intelligence community

Trump is no stranger to conflict with U.S. intelligence agencies, and former officials say his latest move could put the intelligence chiefs in a difficult position.

While it’s not unusual for the intelligence community to cooperate with law enforcement investigations, some former officials say it will become problematic if Trump is seen as using the agencies to go after his political enemies.

John Sipher, a retired member of the CIA’s clandestine service, said it could create problems for Haspel and others if the president looks to “scapegoat” officials who collected intelligence that formed the basis for the Russia investigation.

“Hopefully, Barr and people in the national security structure of Justice go about this in a standard way. They can get the information they need,” Sipher said. “If he himself is trying to get specific information to be used by the president for political purposes, then he’s really being irresponsible.”

Some also say that even the threat of declassifying materials could chill existing intelligence sources and make it difficult to cultivate new ones going forward. Foreign partners may also be wary of sending intelligence to the U.S. if they think it could ultimately be made public.

It is unclear to what extent the intelligence agencies were consulted before Thursday’s announcement.

Coats said in a statement Friday afternoon he would provide Barr with the “appropriate information” in his review. He also expressed confidence the attorney general would work with the intelligence community “in accordance with the long-established standards to protect highly-sensitive classified information that, if publicly released, would put our national security at risk.”

An FBI spokesperson declined to comment, and a CIA spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

Barr’s use of the term “spying” has already put him at odds with FBI Director Christopher Wray, who told lawmakers during testimony earlier this month that he wouldn’t use that term to describe lawful FBI investigations. Wray also said he had no evidence “personally” that FBI agents illegally surveilled the Trump campaign.

At the same time, Wray described Barr’s review as appropriate and said he had been in “fairly close contact” with the attorney general to assist him.

Democratic fury meets Republican praise

Democrats, already critical of Barr’s handling of Mueller’s findings, have accused Trump and the attorney general of attempting to politicize the nation’s intelligence apparatus. Some suggested the administration may be looking to selectively release classified material to shape a false narrative.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff Adam Bennett SchiffPelosi, Democrats unveil bills to rein in alleged White House abuses of power Chris Matthews ripped for complimenting Trump's 'true presidential behavior' on Ginsburg Trump casts doubt on Ginsburg statement, wonders if it was written by Schiff, Pelosi or Schumer MORE (D-Calif.) described Trump’s order in a statement Friday as a "corrupt escalation of the President's intention, with the assistance of the Attorney General, to weaponize and politicize the nation's intelligence and law enforcement entities."

Schiff added that his committee will "conduct vigorous oversight of any steps to selectively reveal and distort classified information, abuse the declassification process, and place at risk sources and methods, thereby weakening our safety and security."

Trump’s Republican allies have long clamored for an investigation of the Russia probe, pointing to text messages exchanged by FBI agents criticizing Trump before the election.

Some have also scrutinized the FBI’s use of information from Christopher Steele — author of the unverified Trump-Russia dossier — in a warrant application to spy on former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page, alleging the bureau did not properly disclose the researcher’s Democratic link.

"Outstanding—President Trump authorizing the Attorney General to declassify documents related to surveillance during the 2016 election," House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows Mark Randall MeadowsThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - GOP closes ranks to fill SCOTUS vacancy by November House moves toward spending vote after bipartisan talks House Democrats mull delay on spending bill vote MORE (R-N.C.), a close ally of Trump, wrote on Twitter. "Americans are going to learn the truth about what occurred at their Justice Department."

Other key Republicans, such as Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr Richard Mauze BurrRep. Mark Walker says he's been contacted about Liberty University vacancy Overnight Defense: Trump rejects major cut to military health care | Senate report says Trump campaign's Russia contacts posed 'grave' threat Senate report describes closer ties between 2016 Trump campaign, Russia MORE (R-N.C.), have not publicly weighed in on the move. A Burr spokesperson declined to comment on Friday.

Trump’s calls to ‘investigate the investigators’ get louder

Thursday’s developments illustrate Trump’s calls to “investigate the investigators” — a message he has used to counter an onslaught of investigations from Democrats following the release of Mueller’s report.

Trump has accused FBI officials involved in the original Russia probe — former FBI Director James Comey James Brien ComeyDemocrats fear Russia interference could spoil bid to retake Senate Book: FBI sex crimes investigator helped trigger October 2016 public probe of Clinton emails Trump jabs at FBI director over testimony on Russia, antifa MORE, former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe Andrew George McCabeGraham: Comey to testify about FBI's Russia probe, Mueller declined invitation Barr criticizes DOJ in speech declaring all agency power 'is invested in the attorney general' GOP votes to authorize subpoenas, depositions in Obama-era probe MORE and others — of engaging in “treason.”

On Friday, Trump denied he was seeking “payback” following Mueller’s two-year investigation, which did not result in conspiracy charges against members of his campaign but nevertheless ensnared some of his allies. Mueller’s final report contained embarrassing details about Trump’s attempts to seize control of the investigation but ultimately failed to reach a judgment on whether the president obstructed justice.

Trump described the Russia investigation as “an attempted coup or an attempted takedown of the President of the United States” in remarks to reporters on Friday.

“I don’t care about payback,” Trump said. “I think it's very important for our country to find out what happened.”

More shoes to drop

Trump’s recent move all but guarantees his administration will release certain materials from the early stages of the Russia investigation.

Trump has long said he would declassify and release sensitive documents, including the application to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to surveil Page, a highly redacted version of which the Justice Department made public last summer under pressure from Republicans.

Trump last fall backed off swiftly releasing the Russia documents after the Justice Department — then headed by Jeff Sessions Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsGOP set to release controversial Biden report Trump's policies on refugees are as simple as ABCs Ocasio-Cortez, Velázquez call for convention to decide Puerto Rico status MORE — and U.S. allies raised objections.

Trump told reporters on Friday he is leaving what to release up to Barr.

“I declassified, I guess, potentially, millions of pages of documents. I don’t know what it is. I have no idea. But I want to be transparent,” Trump said. “We have documents now that I have declassified for the purpose of the attorney general. He can then show them to the public, do whatever he wants to do with them.”

Barr has tapped John DurhamJohn DurhamTop Democrats call for DOJ watchdog to probe Barr over possible 2020 election influence Durham aide resigns from Russia probe amid concerns over pressure from Barr: report Trump praises several Fox News shows at briefing for coverage of Russia probe MORE, the U.S. attorney in Connecticut, to spearhead the review. Meanwhile, Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz is conducting a parallel inquiry into the FBI’s application for the Page warrant. That probe is expected to wrap up no later than June, and it’s likely Horowitz will soon after release a report on his findings.