White House Requested The FBI To Publicly Deny Media Reports Between Associates Of Trump And Russians Known To U.S. Intelligence

CNN: FBI refused White House request to knock down recent Trump-Russia stories

The FBI rejected a recent White House request to publicly knock down media reports about communications between Donald Trump's associates and Russians known to US intelligence during the 2016 presidential campaign, multiple US officials briefed on the matter tell CNN.

But a White House official said late Thursday that the request was only made after the FBI indicated to the White House it did not believe the reporting to be accurate.

White House officials had sought the help of the bureau and other agencies investigating the Russia matter to say that the reports were wrong and that there had been no contacts, the officials said. The reports of the contacts were first published by The New York Times and CNN on February 14.

The direct communications between the White House and the FBI were unusual because of decade-old restrictions on such contacts. Such a request from the White House is a violation of procedures that limit communications with the FBI on pending investigations.

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Update: FBI rejected WH request to deny contacts between Trump advisers and Russia: report (The Hill).

WNU Editor: The problem with this CNN report is that it is also reporting the news that the FBI had indicated to the White House that it did not believed media reports about communications between Donald Trump's associates and Russians known to US intelligence during the 2016 presidential campaign were accurate. In this context .... I can understand why the White House wanted the FBI to come out and say just that the media reports (according to the FBI) were not accurate. The fact that they choose not to probably upset the administration .... hence the request. Does this make the administration .... specifically White House chief of staff Reince Priebus look bad .... definitely. The FBI investigation is still ongoing .... and making that request .... especially in an environment where everything that the administration is now doing gets leaked to the press with 24 hours .... shows poor judgement. On a side note .... I have to wonder if someone is laying the groundwork for President Trump to get rid of White House chief of staff Reince Priebus .... and CNN is being used to do so.