Rosenstein to attend roundtable with Trump

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein will attend an immigration roundtable with President Trump on Wednesday in New York amid mounting tensions between the two men over the Russia probe. 

Rosenstein is one of four administration officials attending the event in the town of Bethpage, according to the White House. Three Republican lawmakers are also set to take part, as well as local law enforcement leaders. 

White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said the leaders will discuss immigration “loopholes that enable MS-13 to infiltrate our communities.”

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But Rosenstein’s presence could give an added dimension the event. 

It comes days after Trump summoned Rosenstein and other top officials to the White House over his demand that the Justice Department probe his claim that “spies” may have infiltrated his campaign. 

Many feared Trump’s ultimatum could lead to a crisis with the Justice Department. Critics see it as part of a wide-ranging effort by Trump and his allies to undermine the Russia probe and perhaps give reason for the president to fire Rosenstein, who oversees the investigation.

But Trump and Rosenstein defused the situation, at least for now, by striking an agreement to ask the Justice Department’s internal watchdog to probe the allegations while allowing Trump-friendly lawmakers to access certain information about the probe. 

That has not stopped Trump from raging against the federal agencies investigating Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, however, which he labeled the “Criminal Deep State.” He added that they have been “caught in a major SPY scandal.”

“SPYGATE could be one of the biggest political scandals in history!” he tweeted Wednesday morning.

This report was updated at 12:09 p.m.