US intelligence chiefs decline to discuss Trump contacts
WASHINGTON — Lawmakers verbally sparred with top intelligence chiefs on Wednesday after they staunchly refused to answer questions about conversations they had with President Trump regarding probes into Russian activities during the election.
Members of the Senate Intelligence Committee wanted to know about news reports claiming Trump had asked Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and Adm.
“In the three-plus years that I have been the director of the National Security Agency, to the best of my recollection, I have never been directed to do anything I believe to be illegal, immoral, unethical or inappropriate,” Rogers told the committee.
[...] to the best of my recollection, during that same period of service, I do not recall ever feeling pressured to do so.
During Wednesday’s hearing, which was about the reauthorization of a federal foreign intelligence collection law, Democrats and Republicans pressed Coats, Rogers, acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.
At the close of the hearing, the Republican committee chairman, Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, said that executive branch officials have the option of briefing the committee or congressional leaders in a classified setting.