Trump sparks new Russia scandal
UNITED STATES: The Trump administration hunkered down following reports that President Donald Trump revealed highly classified information about Islamic State during an already controversial Oval Office visit with Russia’s foreign minister and its ambassador to the US.
Top Cabinet-level officials tried to contain the damage caused by the report yesterday, but their efforts were overwhelmed by questions about White House credibility, including discredited statements about the firing of FBI Director James Comey.
Congressional Democrats were quick to demand an investigation into what Trump told the visiting Russian officials. Republicans were more circumspect, but also expressed concern about report.
‘‘I have no idea if it’s true. If it is, it would be very troubling,’’ said Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, of South Carolina, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
‘‘The importance of carefully handling classified information was one of the big lessons of 2016,’’ said Florida Republican Carlos Curbelo. ’’All leaders should be held to the same standard.’’
The Washington Post touched off the controversy by reporting that Trump had disclosed intelligence to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during their meeting last week. According to the Post, the information had been provided the by an American ally through a sensitive intelligence-sharing arrangement.
A US official familiar with the issue said Trump ‘‘revealed more information to the Russian ambassador than we have shared with our own allies’’.
What was specifically revealed is murky, but the Post reported that the US partner had not given permission for the information to be shared with Russia, a major breach of intelligence protocol.
After the meeting, White House officials reportedly reached out to the CIA and the National Security Agency to explain what happened.
National security adviser H R Mcmaster told reporters at the White House that the report was false, but the wording of his denial addressed an aspect of the situation the Post story had not, leaving in doubt whether the information itself had been revealed.
‘‘At no time were intelligence sources or methods discussed,’’ Mcmaster said. ‘‘I was in the room, it didn’t happen.’’ He offered no further comment and did not take questions.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson offered a denial that seemed to suggest some information had been shared. He said the meeting with Lavrov covered a broad range of subjects, including terrorism threats. ’’During that exchange the nature of specific threats was discussed, but they did not discuss sources, methods or military operations.’’
The new controversy came as there was no letup in the conflict Trump stirred last week with the firing of Comey, and as Trump prepares for his first foreign trip, which includes stops in Saudi Arabia and Israel. He is to meet with the president of Turkey, whose relationship with Russia has been warming as US relations turn frosty over the battle against Isis.
New York’s Eliot Engel, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Relations Committee, said he would call Mcmaster to a classified briefing to find out what specifically was revealed. ‘‘This certainly raises questions about whether the president recognises the serious implications of disclosing such sensitive information to an adversary.’’ - TNS