Democratic memo on Russia meddling ‘very political’, needs to be censored- Trump

US President Donald Trump has revealed in a post on Twitter that he blocked the release of a classified memo written by congressional Democrats on Russia and the 2016 U.S. election because its content is “very political and long” and must be “heavily redacted” before it could be put out in public.

“The Democrats sent a very political and long response memo which they knew, because of sources and methods (and more), would have to be heavily redacted, whereupon they would blame the White House for lack of transparency,” Trump tweeted.

“Told them to re-do and send back in proper form!”, he added.

The decision of Trump to block the release of the memo has sparked a fresh face-off between the White House and Democrats, who said Trump’s decision showed a double standard on transparency.

Read also: RUSSIA MEDDLING: I am ‘looking forward’ to interview by Mueller”, Trump says

Reports say the decision by Trump to block the memo infuriated Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer who said, “Millions of Americans are asking one simple question: what is he hiding?”

According to White House Counsel Don McGahn, the document was blocked after the Justice Department had identified portions of the 10-page memo written by Democratic members that “would create especially significant concerns for the national security and law enforcement interests” of the country.

 

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