Ex-Trump aide Carter Page: ‘Of course’ I wasn’t a foreign agent

Ex-Trump aide Carter Page declared Wednesday that “of course” he hasn’t acted as foreign agent, denying reports that he worked with the Russian government.  

“This is — it’s just such a joke that it’s beyond words,” Page told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “The Lead” Wednesday evening. 

The Washington Post reported Tuesday that a judge granted the FBI a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant last summer in order to monitor Page after providing probable cause that he had acted on behalf of a foreign country. 

FISA warrants are granted sparingly, secretly, and require the approval from top FBI and Justice Department officials. The warrant to monitor Page’s communications was reportedly part of the FBI’s investigation into possible ties between Trump campaign associates and Russia, which required a lengthy testimony about why the agency should surveil Page. Proof of crime is not necessary in order to obtain one of these warrants. 

{mosads}Page said if true, the Post report would be a “game changer.”

“People can lie to the American public all they want in politics. What’s interesting about last night’s report is, if it’s true, there’s a different standard when it comes to evidence in court,” Page said.

“All of this false evidence that you’ve been hearing about myself with the dodgy dossier and other false reports going back through most of last summer, well, that will — that will have very different implications, so this is a real game changer if it turns out to be true,” Page said, referring to a controversial report ccompiled by a former British spy that alleges ties between Trump and Russia.

The FBI first began looking into Page in 2013, after he met with a Russian spy. 

Page answered CNN’s questions Wednesday about his ties to Russian officials at various points in time, denied any wrongdoing and continued to dismiss reports he provided the spy with classified information. 

“I never gave him any information which is material or classified or in any way improper,” Page said.

Tapper then pressed Page to be transparent and clear his name by sharing who hired him for the Trump campaign, but Page refused to provide a name. 

Page first dismissed the idea that former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort brought on Page. 

“It was not Paul Manafort. I’ve never met Paul Manafort and I’ve never spoken with him,” Page said.

He told Tapper he had “no comment” when then asked whether it was former Trump campaign adviser Sam Clovis, adding that who connected him to the campaign is “not relevant.”

“It’s an irrelevant person. He was not the first person that brought me in. I can assure you of that,” Carter told Tapper.

“At least we know it was a man,” Tapper responded.

Carter also refused to comment on whether the FBI has interviewed him, after repeatedly claiming in February that the agency had not.