Cristina MutchlerHouse Democrats say President Donald Trump was more involved in halting plans to move the FBI headquarters out of Washington than previously revealed.
In a letter to the General Services administrator on Thursday, the lawmakers released internal documents that show the president took part in meetings about the relocation — and those meetings weren't disclosed to Congress.
They're concerned the decision to stop the relocation could've had a financial motive, benefiting the president.
Here's why: The FBI building is just a block away from the Trump International Hotel. Democrats argue that before he became president, Trump was in favor of moving the building away from Washington and using the land for downtown development. They claim now that he's a federal employee and can't purchase the property, he wanted the FBI to stay there so a competitor couldn't buy the land.
In a statement to media outlets, the White House denied the claim, saying Trump's decision was based on saving taxpayer money and the fact that FBI leadership didn't want to move.
Back in 2017, the General Services Administration canceled the plans to relocate the headquarters, saying there wasn't enough funding to do so.
Calling it a "conflict of interest," House Democrats have asked for more information on the issue.
Additional reporting from Newsy affiliate CNN.
