Report: ‘Trump revealed secrets’
A STORM erupted yesterday amid reports US President Donald Trump had revealed highly classified information about Islamic State militants to Russian officials during a meeting last week.
The reports originated in The Washington Post and immediately prompted strong condemnation of the president. However, three White House officials who were in the May 10 meeting strongly denounced the story, saying no intelligence sources and methods were discussed – but they didn’t deny classified information was disclosed.
Citing current and former US officials, the Post said Mr Trump shared details about an Islamic State terror threat related to the use of laptop computers on aircraft with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak.
The anonymous officials said the information Mr Trump relayed during the Oval Office meeting had been provided by a US partner through an intelligence-sharing arrangement. They said it was considered so sensitive details have been withheld from allies and tightly restricted even within the government.
“I was in the room, it didn’t happen,” H.R. McMaster, Trump’s national security adviser, said outside the White House. “The president and the foreign minister reviewed a range of common threats to our two countries including threats to civil aviation.”
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Dina Powell, deputy national security adviser for strategy, remembered the meeting the same way.
Mr Tillerson said Mr Trump discussed a range of subjects, including “common efforts and threats regarding counter-terrorism”.
He said that during that exchange the nature of specific threats were discussed, but they did not discuss sources, methods or military operations. Ms Powell said: “This story is false.”
The Post story does not claim Mr Trump revealed specific information about how the intelligence was gathered. Still, it will only heighten Mr Trump’s strained relations with intelligence workers and officials.
If true, the breach was illtimed, coming a day after Trump fired former FBI Director James Comey, who was leading an investigation into Russian meddling in the presidential election.
Congressional Republicans and Democrats expressed concern about the report.