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President Donald Trump’s team went into crisis mode after a report he shared intelligence with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in the Oval Office. Picture: Russian Foreign Ministry via AP.
PRESIDENT Trump has hit back at reports he shared classified information with Russia’s foreign minister at the White House, saying he had the “absolute right” to tell him what he did.
“As President I wanted to share with Russia (at an openly scheduled W.H. meeting) which I have the absolute right to do, facts pertaining ... to terrorism and airline flight safety,” Trump said on Twitter on Tuesday.
“Humanitarian reasons, plus I want Russia to greatly step up their fight against ISIS & terrorism.”
He also said he had been asking former FBI Director James Comey, who he spectacularly fired last week, to find “leakers in the intelligence community.”
The furious missive comes after a Washington Post report, that has since been confirmed by other media outlets, said Mr Trump jeopardised a critical intelligence source by disclosing information that had been regarded as highly secret — even inside the US government.
Officials said the President told Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov details on the “inner workings” of ISIS that could expose the source of the information — one of America’s allies.
However Senior White House officials have hosed down the story, saying it was “false” although not specifying which parts.
Deputy National Security Adviser Dina Powell said: “This story is false. The President only discussed the common threats that both countries face.”
National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster added: “At no time were any intelligence sources or methods discussed and no military operations were disclosed that were not already known publicly.”
“The story that came out tonight, as reported, is false. I was in the room, it didn’t happen.”
US President Donald Trump has been frustrated by leaks from the White House that have undermined his leadership. Picture: AFP PHOTO / SAUL LOEBSource:AFP
On Tuesday President Trump will meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House. They are expected to address the Syrian Civil War and the refugee crisis in a meeting complicated by regional politics in the Middle East.
The meeting will be closely watched by human rights advocates curious as to how Trump will respond to the Turkish leader who has recently cracked down on civil liberties in the country and consolidated his power via a national referendum.