Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats
Daniel (Dan) Ray CoatsPompeo interviewed in Mueller's Russia probe, Yates cooperating: report The Trump Presidency: Year One Trump urges House to reauthorize NSA surveillance after ripping it in a tweet MORE met with White House chief of staff John Kelly
John Francis KellyMORE this week to air his concerns about the release of a memo alleging surveillance at the Department of Justice (DOJ), according to The Washington Post.
Five FBI officials also reportedly expressed their reservations about the controversial document's release during a meeting with Kelly and Tuesday.
The Post reports that the conversation between Kelly and the national security officials focused on the importance of shielding sources and intelligence gathering.
The officials also reportedly expressed to Kelly how the release of the memo creates a dangerous precedent.
A senior administration official has told The Hill that President Trump
Donald John TrumpSchiff: Nunes gave Trump 'secretly altered' version of memo Davis: ‘Deep state’ existed in ’16 – but it elected Trump Former Trump legal spokesman to testify to Mueller about undisclosed call: report MORE has read the memo and could sign off on its publication as soon as Friday.
Conservatives have suggested the memo, which was drafted by House Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes
Devin Gerald NunesSchumer: Nunes intent on undermining 'rule of law' with altered memo Schiff: Nunes gave Trump 'secretly altered' version of memo Former GOP rep rips Nunes over memo: He's chair of Trump's reelection campaign MORE (R-Calif.), could undermine Special Counsel Robert Mueller
Robert Swan MuellerSasse: US should applaud choice of Mueller to lead Russia probe MORE's probe into alleged ties between the Trump campaign and Russian election interference.
Democrats and the intelligence community have spoken out against its publication, saying the information is misleading and could reveal sensitive intelligence sources and methods.
Nunes has called the objections "spurious," however his counterpart on the committee Ranking Democrat Adam Schiff
Adam Bennett SchiffSchumer: Nunes intent on undermining 'rule of law' with altered memo Schiff: Nunes gave Trump 'secretly altered' version of memo Several lawmakers have seen intelligence behind Nunes memo MORE (D-Calif.) accused Nunes of altering the memo ahead of its release.
Nunes said he simply made grammatical changes and additions requested by Schiff and the FBI.
Speaker Paul Ryan
Paul Davis RyanSchumer: Nunes intent on undermining 'rule of law' with altered memo Schiff: Nunes gave Trump 'secretly altered' version of memo Several lawmakers have seen intelligence behind Nunes memo MORE (R-Wis.) pleaded on Thursday with GOP members not to overplay the document’s findings and not to tie it to the Mueller investigation.
“What this is not is an indictment on our institutions, of our justice system. This memo is not an indictment of the FBI, of the Department of Justice. It does not impugn [Robert Mueller’s Russia] investigation or the deputy attorney general,” Ryan said.