FBI Director Andrew McCabe refused to comply with a White House request to "clear the record" on a New York Times story that stated that Trump Campaign officials engaged in ongoing communications with agents of the Russian government during the Election 2016 campaign. As Reince Priebus explained it, McCabe approached the White House and informed administration officials that the NY Times story was not true. Priebus stated that upon hearing this from McCabe, that the White House asked McCabe "if they'd be willing to correct the record," (ABC News, 2/24/17).
FBI Director turns White House down
According to an unnamed administration official, McCabe requested that Priebus "get back to him" and then called the White House and told officials there that "the bureau shouldn't get into calling balls and strikes on everything," (ABC News, 2/24/17). McCabe's denial of the Trump Administration's request, therefore, was based on his perception of the appropriate role of the FBI, as opposed to the legitimacy or non-legitimacy of the NY Times news story.
Michael Flynn's contacts with the Russian ambassador
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump stated his belief that "the media is the enemy of the American People," (ABC News, 2/17/17). The NY Times, which is one of the media entities to which Trump was referring in that statement, claimed that Trump campaign officials had "repeatedly" established contact with various unnamed agents of the Russian government.
One of those Russian agents was Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak who is said to have been in regular communications with former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn. Flynn lied to Vice-President Mike Pence about his telephone conversations with Kislyak. Flynn told Pence that he did not discuss America's sanctions against Russia.
The United States imposed those sanctions because of Russia's unwanted occupation of Crimea and its interference with the American Presidential election in 2016.
Spicer can't explain Trump's 'military operation'
Meanwhile, White House spokesperson Sean Spicer had a very difficult time explaining Trump's statement this week to the effect that his effort to deport illegal and undocumented immigrants is a "military operation." Essentially, Spicer's explanation was that Trump was using the word "military" as an adjective, describing the operation as "military style" as opposed to an actual military operation. Spicer's explanation did not resonate with the reporters at his press conference and instead caused, even more, questions to emerge.
