Trump said Nunes memo 'totally vindicates' him in Russia probe

Doug Stanglin | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption President Trump on Nunes Memo: 'A Lot of People Should Be Ashamed' House Republicans released the full, un-redacted “Nunes memo” on Friday following months of speculation

President Trump tweeted Saturday that the controversial memo released by a House committee "totally vindicates" him in the probe of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.

The president's comment, made from his weekend retreat in Mar-a-Lago in Florida, did not indicate whether he planned to take any action to stop the investigation, which is being led by special counsel Robert Mueller.

This memo totally vindicates “Trump” in probe. But the Russian Witch Hunt goes on and on. Their was no Collusion and there was no Obstruction (the word now used because, after one year of looking endlessly and finding NOTHING, collusion is dead). This is an American disgrace! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2018

"This memo totally vindicates “Trump” in probe. But the Russian Witch Hunt goes on and on," he tweeted at 9:40 a.m. "Their was no Collusion and there was no Obstruction (the word now used because, after one year of looking endlessly and finding NOTHING, collusion is dead). This is an American disgrace!"

Nunes memo: FBI, Justice Department abused surveillance The controversial Nunes memo is out. It claims the FBI and the Justice Department abused their surveillance authority on Trump's 2016 Presidential campaign. Democrats say the memo is misleading.

More: Five key claims in the Nunes memo on FBI surveillance of Trump campaign aide

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More: The controversial Nunes memo has been released. You can read it here

This echoed his suggestions to reporters Friday afternoon that the memo shows political bias at the FBI that tainted the probe into whether his campaign cooperated with Russia’s meddling in the presidential election.

"I think it’s a disgrace,” Trump said of the alleged bias. "A lot of people should be ashamed of themselves."

“It was declassified and let’s see what happens,” Trump said.

Asked if he still had confidence in Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who supervises Mueller. Trump told reporters, "You figure that one out."

Later Saturday evening, Trump sent several additional tweets about the Russia investigation and the memo.

Great jobs numbers and finally, after many years, rising wages- and nobody even talks about them. Only Russia, Russia, Russia, despite the fact that, after a year of looking, there is No Collusion! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 4, 2018

"Great jobs numbers and finally, after many years, rising wages- and nobody even talks about them," he posted. "Only Russia, Russia, Russia, despite the fact that, after a year of looking, there is No Collusion!"

He also tweeted several excerpts from a Wall Street Journal editorial titled, "A Reckoning for the FBI." The excerpts called the memo's findings "disturbing" and say the FBI became "a tool of anti-Trump political actors."

...a tool of anti-Trump political actors. This is unacceptable in a democracy and ought to alarm anyone who wants the FBI to be a nonpartisan enforcer of the law....The FBI wasn’t straight with Congress, as it hid most of these facts from investigators.” Wall Street Journal — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 4, 2018

The memo, which focused on a 2016 surveillance warrant approved to monitor former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page, assailed the bureau and Justice Department for relying on a dossier prepared by a British intelligence agent whose work was funded in part by Democrats.

The memo, released Friday, was drawn up by Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and a former member of the Trump transition team.

House Speaker Paul Ryan said on Thursday that the Nunes memo has no bearing on the Russia probe.

The Wisconsin Republican told a news conference that it was focused on potential misuse of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and “does not impugn the Mueller investigation or the deputy attorney general.”

He said the work of the House panel in writing and releasing the memo is “conducting legitimate oversight over a very unique law, FISA."

"If mistakes were made and individuals did something wrong, it’s our job as the legislative branch to conduct oversight over the executive branch if abuses were made,” he said.

Ryan has also supported releasing the Democratic rebuttal to the Nunes report.

Rep. Trey Gowdy, a Republican member of the committee, is one of only two people to read the full documents upon which the memo was based.

The congressman from South Carolina tweeted Friday that the memo "raises serious concerns" about the process for approving foreign intelligence wiretaps, but does not undermine the Russia probe.

"As I have said repeatedly, I also remain 100 percent confident in Special Counsel Robert Mueller. The contents of this memo do not — in any way — discredit his investigation."

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., ranking member on the intelligence committee, called the memo a partisan attempt to undermine the Russia investigation. Schiff, the only other House member to read the documents behind the Nunes memo, called for release of a Democrat memo giving the minority party's findings on the issue.

"The sole purpose of the Republican document is to circle the wagons around the White House and insulate the President," Schiff said in a statement.

On Friday, hours after the release of the Nunes memo, FBI director Christopher Wray sought to bolster FBI agents and analysts with a memo of his own.

"Talk is cheap; the work you do is what will endure," he wrote. "We speak through our work. One case at a time. One decision at a time."