President Donald Trump pushed for an informant's gag order be lifted because he believes the informant "should be free to say what he knows," according to White House adviser Kellyanne Conway.
Fox News reported Thursday that Trump directed the Justice Department to lift a gag order on an informant related to an alleged Russian bribery operation.
"He believes, as many others do, frankly, that the FBI informant should be free to say what he knows," Conway said Friday on CNN's "New Day."
"It's not unusual for a president to weigh in," she added later.
Trump reportedly showed "consistent frustration" after hearing reports that the FBI and Justice Department have been delaying releasing information on Russian attempts to gain influence over the U.S. uranium industry, according to an unnamed source in a CNN report released Thursday.
Trump instructed his staff "to facilitate the Justice Department's full cooperation with Congress to lift the gag order" on the undercover FBI informant, according to one source. Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, also has requested that the source come before a public committee, which Conway described as "the proper channel."
Conway also hit the Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton, saying they improperly used foreign intelligence to attack Trump during the election.
"Now, we are faced with the possibility — and it looks like the very real probability — the [Democratic National Committee] and the Clinton campaign paid a foreign agent for information to try to smear Donald Trump," Conway said.
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