WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that his acting spy chief has wide permission to declassify records, including any tied to the 2020 election, even though his close ally is only at the intelligence helm for a short time. Trump appointed Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence last month, elevating a political loyalist with no national security experience at a time of war and global tensions.
Following a political backlash over his pick, Trump subsequently nominated Jay Clayton, the top US attorney for Manhattan. But he then abruptly postponed Clayton’s confirmation hearing in an effort to force Congress to pass a strict voter identification bill.
“Bill’s there, just, you know, for maybe a month or two months or something,” Trump told reporters as he departed Joint Base Andrews for an event in North Dakota. “But while he’s there, I said, ‘You can declassify whatever you want’.”
Asked if that included any records related to the 2020 election, Trump added: “I told him you could do it, it’s fair. You got to ask him.”
Trump, who won a second White House term in the 2024 election after losing in 2020, long has falsely claimed widespread fraud in US elections and continued to push debunked claims ahead of November’s midterm contests as part of his pressure campaign to pass a strict voter identification law.
