President Donald Trump demanding that the Justice Department look into whether the FBI conducted politically motivated surveillance of his 2016 presidential campaign is a "new low," The New York Times editorial board wrote.

"As the Russia investigation burrows closer to the Oval Office, the president, his staff, his collaborators in Congress, and his defenders in the right-wing media are sparing no institution in their quest to undermine it," the board wrote.

Trump sank to a "new low" Sunday by demanding the Justice Department investigate FBI surveillance on his campaign, the board wrote.

The Department of Justice said that its inspector general would look into Trump's demand.

The board also took aim at Republican lawmakers in Congress who support Trump's moves.

"Republicans in Congress compound their shame daily, either by standing by in silence or by working actively with the White House and conservative media to help expose the identity of an FBI informant," the board wrote, referring to an informant the FBI sent to speak to two Trump campaign advisers after it learned they had suspicious contacts with Russia.



"This self-interested assault is doing incalculable damage to the integrity of American law enforcement," the board wrote.

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and FBI Director Christopher Wray must "stand up to the president and defend these institutions," the board wrote.