Troubling. Deeply troubling. Disturbing. All this as two central figures in the russia investigation speak out. Sally yates and Rod Rosenstein. I think that this was a serious compromise situation. I just hope to preserve protect and defend the constitution of the United States. A lot to dig in, beginning with President Trump defending himself against multiple reports that he shared intelligence secrets with russian officials, information that was so highly classified, it was tightly restricted even within our own government. Were going to break it all down for you right now. Taking you first to the white house where Kristen Welker is stand big. Kristen, the president is already, no surprise, tweeting his morning. What is he saying . We know we heard from mcmaster, Rex Tillerson put out a statement and now the president speaks. Stef, the president , the entire administration in damage control mode this morning. Let me read you what the president tweeted and discuss it on the other side
They think it might hurt them with the voters. I will say it and i will talk about it proudly. Democrats are getting ready for a fight over the president s nomination for fbi director wanting not only a special prosecutor named but the release of any white house recordings including fbi director james comey. Lets start with Peter Alexander at the white house. You have the comey tapes, confusion over why he was fired and search for a new fbi director. You have a full plate for the white house. Where they want the focus to be is on the trip later this week, departure being friday. They view that as a global moment. The president prepares to head overseas. As those items you mention are going to be a heavy focus as we hear from sean spicer, outstanding questions about the timeline, given the conversations we now know that President Trump says he had with the ousted fbi director james comey and the way that they play out around the timing that the white house learned specifically about mic
We know in retrospect that that inauguration took place against the backdrop of an open and active fbi counterintelligence investigation into the russian attack on the election that made that inauguration possible. And on the key question of whether the new president s campaign had been in on the russian attack somehow. We know looking back that it was happening in the background. That wearing happened on a friday, january 20th. The very next week, though, the whole thing started to shake and rattle within the first week we now know. The inauguration is friday. Theres the weekend. Then the first tuesday after the inauguration, the National Security adviser got interviewed by the fbi. When the fbi does that kind of interview, the agents who conduct the interview produce a written report about it. Its called a 302. Swearing in was on friday, then theres the weekend, then the following tuesday National Security adviser gets interviewed by the fbi. The consequences of that interview are st
Them. The administrative moab, if you will, and the shock wave will probably reverberate for a very long time. President trump is defending his decision. He tweeted earlier today comey lost the confidence of almost everyone in washington, republican and democrat alike. When things calm down they will be thanking me. Cnn learning this morning and i want to listen in as we hear the Vice President coming toward the microphone. Yesterday President Donald Trump provided strong and decisive leadership to restore the trust and confidence of the American People and the federal bureau of investigation. I am grateful for the action the president has taken, and i am confident as we go forward that the president will choose an individual who will be able to restore the confidence of our nation and our leading Law Enforcement agency. President trump made the right decision at the right time to accept the recommendation of the Deputy Attorney general and the attorney general, to ask for the terminat
This . I know nothing about this. Martha weeks later, she came clean on the role that she played in this process of unmasking certain american citizens. But she claimed at the time that although it was done, it was not improper. Within that process, and within the context of the trump campaign, the trump transition, did you seek the names of people involved did you unmask the people involved in the trump transition, campaign, people surrounding the president elect deduced did do spy on them . Absolutely not, for any political purposes, just buy, expose, anything. Martha tonight, something different, suggesting that a spotlight on her may be in part due to her gender and her race. Chief National Correspondent ed henry joins us with more on this growing story. From the white house tonight, hi. Good to see. It was President Trump at the white house in april who said that these charges that susan rice was involved in unmasking trump advisors was a massive story that much of the media was i