President Donald Trump's national security adviser is denying a report that claims Trump shared highly classified intelligence about Islamic State militants with a top Russian diplomat.
President Trump revealed highly classified information to the Russian foreign minister and ambassador in a White House meeting last week, according to current and former USA officials, who said Trump's disclosures jeopardized a critical source of intelligence on the Islamic State.
A senior German lawmaker has expressed concern about reports that President Donald Trump revealed highly classified information about the Islamic State group to Russian officials. That development could shatter trust that is essential to intelligence and counter-terrorism cooperation.
"We're going to get this passed through the Senate", Trump said during a sun-splashed moment in the Rose Garden on May 4.
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 U.S. Sergey Kislyak, a senior U.S official told AP.
That intelligence led the Trump administration to ban travelers flying out of 10 airports in eight countries in the Middle East and Africa from carrying electronic devices larger than cell phones aboard planes. Kislyak in particular has featured in one of the new administration's most notable controversies, with national security adviser Michael Flynn forced to resign in February after misleading Vice President Mike Pence about his contacts with the ambassador past year. The story that came out tonight, as reported, is false.
LIASSON: Yes. We've gotten statements from the national security adviser, the secretary of state. I was in the room.
While the president did not reveal to the Russians how the information was gathered, he did disclose specific elements of an unfolding plot and its threats and - most alarmingly to USA officials - the city in IS territory where the information was picked up by the intelligence partner.
The Post noted that as president, Trump has the authority to declassify government secrets, therefore making it unlikely that his disclosures to the Russians was illegal.
UN Security Council considering new NK sanctions
Citing a well-informed source, the TASS news agency reported that the meeting was requested by the United States and Japan. North Korean state media claimed that Sunday's test proved that the country could launch a missile with a nuclear tip.
The Wednesday meeting between Trump, Lavrov and Kislyak had already raised alarm bells in Washington, primarily because it came one day after Trump made a decision to fire FBI Director James Comey while the bureau investigated his campaign's alleged ties to Russian Federation. His criticism has been followed by a steady stream of leaks to the media that have been damaging to Trump and exposed an FBI investigation into his associates' possible ties to Russian Federation. Two Democrats are saying they want a tape of the meeting.
Even some of who had been reluctant to criticize Trump said Monday's report raised questions that needed answers. Third, to the extent we know that leaks and other damaging stories about Trump supremely anger him, one might wonder whether this is a provocation to destabilize the White House staff.
'The speaker hopes for a full explanation of the facts from the administration'. John McCain, an Arizona Republican. But he cautioned: "Let's wait and see what this was all about first". "This story is false", Powell said in a statement to reporters.
The president said the Democrats were being "hypocrites" for their criticism about Comey's dismissal as they themselves were displeased with the FBI's handing of the investigations into Hillary Clinton's emails.
GOP Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told reporters the Trump White House "has got to do something soon to bring itself under control and order".
The CIA declined to comment and the National Security Agency did not respond to requests for comment.
The newspaper says the information was very sensitive and had been provided by a USA partner.
"Protecting our national security is one of the most important tasks a president has, and Trump is failing at it", Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, former Democratic Party candidate for president, said.
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