Report: President Trump Shared Classified Information With Russians
BOSTON (CBS) - There are multiple reports President Donald Trump shared highly classified information with the Russians. The president's National Security Advisor insists the report is false.
Both The Washington Post and New York Times report the president revealed the classified information about ISIS last week in the Oval Office and that it was information about potential terror attacks on airplanes.
The officials who spoke to the Washington Post say the president's disclosures might have jeopardized a critical source of information on the Islamic State.
In the bombshell report, The Washington Post says President Trump revealed highly classified information to Russia's foreign minister and ambassador at the White House.
According to the report, the president, "went off script and began describing details about an Islamic State terrorist threat related to the use of laptop computers on aircraft."
The White House denies the president revealed sources or methods, but did not explicitly deny that he revealed classified information.
"There's nothing that the president takes more seriously that security of American people," National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster said. "The story that came out tonight as reported is false. At no time, at no time, were intelligence sources or methods discussed."
The information the president reportedly talked about is said to have come from a U.S. ally and was considered so sensitive that it had not been shared with other countries.
The president can declassify secrets, but intelligence officials say sharing that information with the Russians could potentially expose the intelligence operation of an ally.
Massachusetts democrats were quick to criticize the president.
Senator Ed Markey said, "President Trump's decision to relay some of our most sensitive intelligence with representatives of the Russian government betrays an astounding lack of judgment."
Congressman Seth Moulton called on Republican lawmakers to start holding the president accountable, tweeting, "Falling back on this "legal authority" non-excuse is paying no mind to the U.S. lives put at risk with such disclosures."
