Text messages by former FBI Director James Comey and other Justice Department officials were set to be released by a President Donald Trump directive Monday. File Photo by Dennis Van Tine/UPI | License Photo

Sept. 17 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump on Monday directed the Justice Department to declassify and release the text messages of former FBI Director James Comey and others about the investigation into Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

The directive, also issued to the office of the director of national intelligence, includes text messages by former FBI officials Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzokand Lisa Page, and Justice Department official Bruce Ohr.

In addition, Trump asked the department to publicly release about 20 pages of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant application for the surveillance of former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page, all FBI reports of interviews with Ohr and all FBI reports of interviews connected to the FISA application for Carter Page.

A statement from White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said the directive was made "at the request of a number of committees of Congress, and for reasons of transparency."

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2018/09/17/Trump-orders-declassific...