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| White House asked FBI to discredit reports of Russia links | White House asked FBI to discredit reports of Russia links |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The White House has confirmed it asked an FBI official to discredit reports President Trump's campaign aides were in touch with Russian intelligence. | The White House has confirmed it asked an FBI official to discredit reports President Trump's campaign aides were in touch with Russian intelligence. |
| The White House acknowledged its chief of staff Reince Priebus asked the FBI's deputy director to dispute a New York Times article alleging Moscow links. | The White House acknowledged its chief of staff Reince Priebus asked the FBI's deputy director to dispute a New York Times article alleging Moscow links. |
| CNN reports the FBI refused, citing an ongoing inquiry into claims of contacts between Trump aides and Russia. | CNN reports the FBI refused, citing an ongoing inquiry into claims of contacts between Trump aides and Russia. |
| Mr Trump has responded on Twitter by railing against FBI "leakers". | Mr Trump has responded on Twitter by railing against FBI "leakers". |
| "The FBI is totally unable to stop the national security 'leakers' that have permeated our government for a long time," Mr Trump, who is due to address a conservative political gala on Friday morning, tweeted. | "The FBI is totally unable to stop the national security 'leakers' that have permeated our government for a long time," Mr Trump, who is due to address a conservative political gala on Friday morning, tweeted. |
| "They can't even find the leakers within the FBI itself. Classified information is being given to media that could have a devastating effect on US. FIND NOW." | "They can't even find the leakers within the FBI itself. Classified information is being given to media that could have a devastating effect on US. FIND NOW." |
| The New York Times reported last week that US agencies intercepted phone calls last year between members of Mr Trump's presidential campaign and Russian intelligence agents. | The New York Times reported last week that US agencies intercepted phone calls last year between members of Mr Trump's presidential campaign and Russian intelligence agents. |
| Mr Priebus asked FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe to pour cold water on suggestions of communications between Mr Trump's staff and Moscow. | Mr Priebus asked FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe to pour cold water on suggestions of communications between Mr Trump's staff and Moscow. |
| As of Friday, the FBI has not commented publicly on the report. | As of Friday, the FBI has not commented publicly on the report. |
| White House press secretary Sean Spicer refuted the CNN report. | |
| "We didn't try to knock the story down. We asked them to tell the truth," he said. | |
| Mr Trump has been dogged by claims of alleged links to Moscow since his presidential campaign. | |
| The president asked for national security adviser Michael Flynn's resignation last week after he misled Vice-President Mike Pence about his contacts with a Russian ambassador during the transition. | |
| When pressed about Moscow ties last week, Mr Trump said "nobody that I know of" spoke with Russian intelligence officials during the campaign. | |
| Michael Flynn: Trump's national security adviser resigns | |
| Democrats said Mr Priebus was in violation of a policy limiting communication between the White House and law enforcement on pending investigations. | Democrats said Mr Priebus was in violation of a policy limiting communication between the White House and law enforcement on pending investigations. |
| Michigan Representative John Conyers, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, said: "The White House is simply not permitted to pressure the FBI to make public statements about a pending investigation of the president and his advisers." | Michigan Representative John Conyers, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, said: "The White House is simply not permitted to pressure the FBI to make public statements about a pending investigation of the president and his advisers." |