Trump Clears the Way for Release of Secret Republican Memobr Mr. Flake, in a joint statement with Senator Chris Coons, Democrat of Delaware, said releasing the memo “risks undermining U. S. intelligence-gathering efforts, politicizing Congress’ oversight rolebr and eroding confidence in our institutions of government.”br Mr. Thune said he thought that the Senate Intelligence Committeebr and its Republican chairman, Senator Richard M. Burr of North Carolina, should be allowed to see the document before its release.br Republicans and Democrats on the Intelligence Committee spent the day arguing over charges by Democratsbr that the Republicans had made “material changes” to the memo after the committee voted to release it but before it was transmitted to the White House for review.br WASHINGTON — The White House signaled on Thursday that President Trump would allow a secret memo written by Republican congressionalbr aides to be made public, despite fears from some in the West Wing that it could prompt the resignation of the F. B.I.br The memo says the officials relied in part on information handed over by a former British intelligence officer, Christopher Steele, without adequately explaining to the judgebr that the research was paid for by the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, according to people who have read the document.