President Donald Trump was overheard on a hot mic Tuesday telling a lawmaker that he is "100 percent" behind releasing a GOP memo about the FBI, but White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Wednesday that he hadn't seen the memo as of before or right after his State of the Union speech.
"I know he hadn't as of last night prior to and immediately after the State of the Union," Sanders told CNN "New Day" co-host Chris Cuomo, while stressing that the White House has, from day one, wanted "full transparency" concerning the document.
"At the same time, we're still going to complete the legal and national security review that has to take place before putting something out publicly," said Sanders. "That's the place where we are right now."
Tuesday night, C-SPAN recorded South Carolina GOP Rep. Jeff Duncan urging Trump to release the memo. The president, over a nearby microphone, can be heard saying "Don't worry, 100 percent."
The incident occurred after the White House said it would conduct legal and national security reviews before Trump decides if the memo should be made public. In the document, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein is accused of overreaching while authorizing a FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) surveillance warrant against former Trump campaign aide Carter Page.
Members of the Intelligence Committee, led by Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., voted to send the memo to Trump, who had five days to decide whether it should be made public.
Sanders said Wednesday there is "always a chance" that Trump may not allow the memo to be released at all.
"I haven't seen the memo," she told Cuomo. "I can't make that judgment, but I do know we're going through that process. I know that will be part of what's taking place at the White House today."
She also said, "not that I know of" when he asked if Nunes had worked with anyone in the White House on the memo.
Last March, Nunes removed himself from the committee's investigation into Russian meddling after revelations surfaced about him meeting with a secret source on White House grounds, which raised questions about his and the panel's independence.
"I just don't know the answer," said Sanders. "I'm not aware of any conversations or coordination with Congressman Nunes."
Sanders further commented that Trump has "full confidence" in FBI Director Christopher Wray and his ability to lead the FBI.
Meanwhile, the White House has been "fully cooperative" with special counsel Robert Mueller and his investigation into Russian meddling, and Trump has "nothing to hide," Sanders said.
However, she called the investigation a "waste of taxpayer money" because "everyone" has come to the same conclusion that there was no collusion involved, but said the White House wants to see the probe through.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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