Fox News host Sean Hannity on Thursday night denied a report that he has been advising President Donald Trump to release the controversial memo crafted by Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee.
A total lie, Fake news. Phony “anonymous sources”. Amazing how the left wing media just makes Sh&)(: up. https://t.co/aytDS89o0L
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) February 2, 2018
The Daily Beast reported Thursday night that Hannity has been in regular contact with Trump in recent weeks, citing three sources with knowledge of their phone conversations. Hannity has been advocating for the release of the memo on his Fox News show for weeks. On Thursday night, Hannity claimed that the memo will reveal a scandal that “will make Watergate look like a parking ticket.”
It appears Trump was persuaded to release the memo after watching conservative media coverage of the document. The President referenced Hannity’s segments on the memo during his phone calls with the Fox News personality, according to the Daily Beast. Trump watched cable news programs about the memo for about two weeks at the end of January, and was convinced he should release it before even reading it, the Washington Post reported, citing administration officials and advisers.
The memo from House Intelligence Committee Chair Devin Nunes (R-CA) reportedly alleges that top Justice Department officials abused a surveillance program to spy on a Trump campaign aide. The memo, which is part of a wider Republican effort to discredit the Russia investigation, fits into Trump’s narrative that top law enforcement officials have been out to get him since the election.
