Donald Trump’s former top strategist Steve Bannon called to testify in Russia probe

President Donald Trump’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon and his former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski have been asked to testify to lawmakers investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Both men were sent letters this week by the House Intelligence Committee asking them to testify in early in January, according to an official familiar with the panel’s schedule.

The committee has not yet received a response from either Bannon or Lewandowski. The invitation, which did not come in the form of a subpoena forcing them to testify, was for a “voluntary interview” in the committee’s offices, which means it would be held behind closed doors, the official said.

The letter does not lay out specific reasons the committee wants to interview them, or the questions the panel wants to pose, but it makes clear that the interviews are part of the Russia investigation.

Bannon, who worked as Trump’s top strategist during the campaign and for several months in the White House, has not been publicly accused of any wrongdoing.