Now that Robert Mueller’s probe into alleged Russian election meddling has been completed, President Trump has promised to declassify much of the information that resulted in his campaign being put in the government’s crosshairs to begin with. Trump had threatened to declassify much of that information last year but held off at the request of administration officials who believed it might harm the Russia probe, and of foreign officials who didn’t want sensitive information making it out into public.
But now that the probe has completed and the report has been published, Trump intends to declassify much of the material that went into the government’s initial investigation. That includes text messages among key Department of Justice officials interested in probing the Trump campaign, as well as the applications made by the government to the FISA court to get the initial warrants to begin surveilling Trump campaign officials.
With so much pressure having been put on Trump previously not to publicize the information, it’s hard to believe that he won’t face those same pressures this time around too. The UK, in particular, doesn’t want to see all the dirty laundry aired connecting its former spy Christopher Steele and his infamous dossier to the Clinton campaign and corrupt DOJ officials.
Trump’s attempt to declassify the materials is his way of getting back at the deep state plotters who sought to take down his Presidency with the Russia probe. Will they let him declassify the full range of documents he wants to publish? Or will they put pressure on the Attorney General to keep certain information classified and allow Trump to declare a public victory by publishing certain materials that the intelligence establishment is only too willing to sacrifice?
If Trump is able to declassify all of this information and publish it, it would be a great victory against the deep state. But don’t be surprised to see him walk back his promise once again, as the deep state continues to dig its tentacles into him and his administration.