“It will be released here pretty quick, I think, and the whole world can see it,” John Kelly said of the memo during an interview on Fox News Radio. | Susan Walsh/AP Photo Kelly: Nunes memo to be released ‘pretty quick’

White House chief of staff John Kelly said Wednesday a controversial Republican memo alleging wrongdoing by FBI officials investigating Russia's interference in the 2016 election would be released soon.

“It will be released here pretty quick, I think, and the whole world can see it,” Kelly said during an interview on Fox News Radio.

POLITICO Playbook newsletter Sign up today to receive the #1-rated newsletter in politics Email Sign Up By signing up you agree to receive email newsletters or alerts from POLITICO. You can unsubscribe at any time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.


White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has said President Donald Trump backs "full transparency" on the memo, which House Intelligence officials voted to release despite opposition from the Justice Department and Democrats. But the White House had not made clear whether it would allow the memo, compiled by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), to be released.

After delivering his State of the Union address Tuesday night, President Donald Trump was caught on camera telling a lawmaker he would “100 percent” back efforts to unveil the document.

Kelly on Wednesday praised Trump’s commitment to transparency during the interview.

“This president, again, it's so unique, Brian, that he wants everything out so the American people can make up their own minds and if there's people to be held accountable, then so be it," he said.

John Kelly: Nunes memo to be released ‘pretty quick’ White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, in an interview with Fox and Friends' Brian Kilmeade on Fox News Radio, is asked about President Trump's spontaneous response to a congressman prompting him to 'release the memo' as he left the House floor.

GOP lawmakers on Monday also blocked a motion to release a dueling memo compiled by Democratic lawmakers, who say it raises serious concerns about the sourcing and intelligence behind Nunes’ document.

Nunes over the weekend showed the memo to FBI Director Christopher Wray at the urging of Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.). But California Rep. Adam Schif, the top Democrat on the House intelligence panel, said Monday that Wray had told him his concerns over the information were not alleviated by seeing it.

The White House has said the president would not allow the information to be made public if were to pose any security risks.

"The president would never and will never put American people’s lives at risk and threaten our national security and if anything in this document does that, he will not release it," White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley said Wednesday on Fox News.

