Trump gives Barr power to declassify intelligence related to Russia probe

President Trump has granted Attorney General William P. Barr “full and complete authority” to declassify government secrets, issuing a memorandum late Thursday that orders U.S. intelligence agencies to cooperate promptly with Barr’s audit of the investigation into Russia’s election interference in 2016.

The president’s move gives Barr broad powers to unveil carefully guarded intelligence secrets about the Russia investigation, which the attorney general requested to allow him to quickly carry out his review, according to the memo.

“Today’s action will ensure that all Americans learn the truth about the events that occurred, and the actions that were taken, during the last Presidential election and will restore confidence in our public institutions,” the White House said in an accompanying statement, which Trump then tweeted.

View the complete May 23 article by Devlin Barrett, Carol D. Leonnig, Robert Costa and Colby Itkowitz on The Washington Post website here.