• Home
  • News
  • Fortune 500
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
MPWMost Powerful Women

Donald Trump Calls Out Susan Rice For Declining to Testify About Russia

By
Valentina Zarya
Valentina Zarya
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Valentina Zarya
Valentina Zarya
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 4, 2017, 10:01 AM ET

Donald Trump has turned to his Twitter account to shame Susan Rice for declining a request to testify at a Congressional hearing related to Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

On Thursday morning the commander-in-chief tweeted: “Susan Rice, the former National Security Advisor to President Obama, is refusing to testify before a Senate Subcommittee next week on allegations of unmasking Trump transition officials. Not good!”

Susan Rice, the former National Security Advisor to President Obama, is refusing to testify before a Senate Subcommittee next week on…..

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 4, 2017

…allegations of unmasking Trump transition officials. Not good!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 4, 2017

Subscribe to the Broadsheet, Fortune’s newsletter for and about powerful women.

Rice, Obama’s national security adviser refused an invitation from Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism regarding Russia’s interference in last year’s election. She declined via a letter from her attorney, Kathryn Ruemmler, that was first obtained by CNN.

In the letter, Ruemmler explained that Rice was turning down the invitation because it came only from Graham and was not bipartisan in nature (the subcommittee’s ranking Democrat, Rhode Island’s Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse reportedly did not agree Graham’s request).

The former national security adviser got involved in the Russia scandal last month, when Bloomberg columnist Eli Lake, citing anonymous U.S. officials, reported that White House lawyers learned she had requested the identities “of U.S. persons in raw intelligence reports on dozens of occasions that connect to the Donald Trump transition and campaign.” In other words, Rice sought the names of those in Trump’s circle who were caught up in the legal surveillance of foreign targets—even though those identities are usually redacted from summaries reviewed by the White House.

Rice told MSNBC in April that she didn’t use intelligence reports to spy on Trump associates for political purposes, though she acknowledged that she had had the ability to request their names. She did not say whether she sought intelligence on Trump’s associates or asked for their identities; that information would be classified, she said.

About the Author
By Valentina Zarya
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.