Trump-Putin call leads to uproar over leak
Probe started after word emerges that briefing papers warned U.S. president not to congratulate Russian on re-election
— The tempest over U.S. President Donald Trump’s congratulatory phone call to Vladimir Putin quickly grew on Wednesday into an uproar over White House leaks, sparking an internal investigation and speculation over who might be the next person Trump forces out of the West Wing.
The White House said in a statement it would be a “fireable offence and likely illegal” to leak Trump’s briefing papers to the press, after word emerged that the president had been warned in briefing materials to refrain from congratulating the Russian president on his re-election. Trump did so anyway during a Tuesday conversation.
Aides had included guidance in Trump’s talking points for the call to Putin stating: “DO NOT CONGRATULATE,” a senior administration official said Wednesday.
The document had been accessible only to a select group of aides, two officials said. They also said an internal probe of the leak has begun but provided no other details. The White House is not formally acknowledging the veracity of the presidential guidance first reported by The Washington Post.
It also was unclear whether Trump, who prefers oral briefings, had read the talking points prepared by his national security team before Tuesday’s call. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster briefed the president in person.
The leak further cast doubt on McMaster’s longevity in the top foreign policy post: the guidance for Trump had been prepared by his staff. Trump has been moving toward replacing McMaster, but has not settled on timing or a successor.
Trump’s call of congratulations to Putin drew bruising criticism from members of his own party even before the revelation that he was advised against it.
“An American president does not lead the free world by congratulating dictators on winning sham elections,” said Republican Sen. John McCain.
Putin received calls from a number of other foreign leaders.