Washington (CNN) FBI and national intelligence officials warned the White House last week that information requested by House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes could put a top-secret intelligence source at risk, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday.

The Post, citing multiple individuals familiar with the interaction and the role of the intelligence source, reported that top White House officials, with President Donald Trump's approval, opted to support a decision to withhold the information and were persuaded that handing over Department of Justice documents "could risk lives by potentially exposing the source." The newspaper reported that the person is a US citizen who has been a source of intelligence to both the CIA and the FBI.

According to the report, "information developed by the intelligence source" has been turned over to special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, though it is not known whether Trump was aware of that fact.

Mueller is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election as well as any potential links or coordination between Trump campaign associates and the Russian government. Trump has repeatedly denounced the inquiry as a "witch hunt" and insisted there was no collusion.

A clash between the Justice Department and House Republicans seeking information from the department has escalated in recent weeks. Nunes has recently suggested that lawmakers might move to hold Attorney General Jeff Sessions in contempt of Congress for withholding information tied to the Russia inquiry.

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