I/II. https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/5/16/15646848/trump-mcmaster-russia-intel-leak
National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster responds to Trump leaking classified intel to Russia The administration is set to give a statement this morning. Updated by German [email protected][email protected] May 16, 2017, 11:37am EDT H.R. McMaster on Trump giving Russia classified information National Security Advisor H. R. McMaster responds to President Trump's leak of highly classified information to Russia. Posted by Vox on Tuesday, 16 May 2017 At 11:30 am on Tuesday, National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster is scheduled to comment on a bombshell report by the Washington Post (ref: <https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-revealed-highly-classified-information-to-russian-foreign-minister-and-ambassador/2017/05/15/530c172a-3960-11e7-9e48-c4f199710b69_story.html?hpid=hp_rhp-banner-main_trumpintel-0504pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.dc08bb40382e>) that found President Donald Trump had recently disclosed highly classified information to Russian officials (ref.: <https://www.vox.com/world/2017/5/15/15643720/trump-russia-classified-intelligence-post>). The classified information, which was reportedly about ISIS, was closely held even within the US government. As one US official told the Post, Trump “revealed more information to the Russian ambassador than we have shared with our own allies.” The Post’s reveal comes as Trump faces continuing scrutiny over his own ties to Russia. Last week, Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, who was leading the agency through an investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russian officials to sway the 2016 election. Trump admitted to NBC News anchor Lester Holt that the Russia investigation was on his mind when he fired Comey, drawing new criticisms that the president had committed obstruction of justice. A day after firing Comey, Trump met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. It is in this meeting where he reportedly disclosed highly classified intelligence to the Russians, who are widely seen as an adversary to US interests on the global stage. Though initial rounds of administration statements included non-denial denials about leaking information to Russians, Trump himself on Tuesday morning confirmed on Twitter that he shared information with Russian officials last week, though he did not say if that information was classified. Now Trump’s staff is cleaning up after him. (Herebelow's an account of the attempted clearing up operation. But, how effective? Only time will tell.) II. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/16/donald-trump-defends-giving-highly-classified-information-russians/ Donald Trump 'did not give Russians location of his intelligence source because he did not know it' [Video of McMaster certifying his boss.] Harriet Alexander, new york 16 MAY 2017 • 5:27PM H.R. McMaster, the national security adviser, says Trump's conversation "wholly appropriate" Trump accused of sharing top secret information on Islamic State with Russians McMaster says real concern should be leaking of private conversations McMaster dodges question about whether Trump gave away city from which intel came McMaster says Trump not even aware of details of where intel came from Trump insists he has "the absolute right" to share classified intel Intel came from a third country; concerns now that allies will stop sharing information with US Peter Roberts: Like the political leaders before him, Donald Trump has the right to share intelligence H.R. McMaster has defended Donald Trump's sharing of information with the Russians, describing his conversation as "wholly appropriate". Mr McMaster, briefing the press inside the White House, said that the May 10 conversation with Sergei Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, and Sergei Kislyak, the ambassador, was "routine". Trump Lavrov Donald Trump and Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister On Monday night the Washington Post reported that Mr Trump had shared information with the Russians about Isis which had come from a third party - information so sensitive only a few people inside the government were aware of it. The report roiled the White House, and Mr McMaster was dispatched late on Monday to insist that the president had done nothing wrong. On Tuesday morning, however, Mr Trump admitted that he had shared the information - but said he was perfectly entitled to do so. A president can indeed chose when to declassify information. Follow Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump 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.... 4:33 PM - 16 May 2017 13,643 13,643 Retweets 45,839 45,839 likes Follow Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump ...to terrorism and airline flight safety. Humanitarian reasons, plus I want Russia to greatly step up their fight against ISIS & terrorism. 4:43 PM - 16 May 2017 12,333 12,333 Retweets 45,691 45,691 likes On Tuesday morning Mr McMaster said that Mr Trump had discussed issues of joint concern with the Russians. "The president was meeting with the foreign minister about the terrorist threat," he told a raucous press gathering. "He had also raised some difficult issues - Ukraine, Syria. "We have an area of cooperation with transnational terrorist organisations - Isis in particular. "This is the context of a conversation in which it was wholly appropriate to share the information." Trump Russians Donald Trump meeting Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, and Sergei Kislyak, the ambassador to the US, on May 10 in the Oval Office CREDIT: RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY Asked why, if it was wholly appropriate, the CIA and NSA was alerted to the conversation, Mr McMaster said he did not know. The national security adviser was pressed on whether Mr Trump gave away the location of the city from which the intelligence came. McMaster H.R. McMaster He did not directly answer whether any cities were named, but seemed to admit they were - saying it was obvious which cities were under Isis control. And he made a surprising admission, stating that the president could not have given all the details - because he had not been told them. "The president wasn't even aware of where this information came from," said Mr McMaster. "He wasn't even briefed on the information." The Kremlin came to Mr Trump's defense on Tuesday, calling reports that he had disclosed classified material in the White House meeting as "complete nonsense." 5:06pm The president did not know where the intel came from H.R. McMaster, attempting to defend the president's action, insists that he could not have given away the location of the intelligence source - as he did not know it. It's an amazing admission. The president wasn't even aware of where this information came from. He wasn't even briefed on the information. 5:04pm 'No sources compromised' Fears are that Mr Trump gave away the location of a source inside Isis territory. He is asked whether Mr Trump named the city the intelligence came from - Mr McMaster said that anyone could name a handful of cities where Isis are in control. Isis in Syria He added: The president in no way compromised any sources or methods in the course of this conversation. 4:59pm McMcaster attempts to give context The president was meeting with the foreign minister about the terrorist threat. He had also raised some difficult issues - Ukraine, Syria. We have an area of cooperation with transnational terrorist organisations - Isis in particular. This is the context of a conversation in which it was wholly appropriate to share the information. 4:58pm Why was the CIA alerted that the information was shared, then? I would say, with an overabundance of caution - I am not sure. I was in the room. The secretary of state was there. Dina Powell was there. And none of us felt in any way that the conversation was inappropriate. 4:57pm McMaster says conversation 'appropriate' What the president discussed with the foreign minister was totally appropriate and is consistent with what is routinely shared with any partner. Asked about whether he is concerned other countries would stop sharing intelligence with the US, he said no. 4:56pm McMcaster is asked if he stands by his statement last night McMaster says: I stand by my statement. The premise of that article is false - in that in any way the president had a conversation that was inappropriate. What should really be discussed is that conversations were leaked, threatening national security. 4:51pm Who is H.R. McMaster? 4:49pm General McMcaster takes the podium H.R. McMaster takes the podium, after Sean Spicer introduces him and says he will discuss the president's first foreign trip - which begins on Friday. Mr McMaster jokes: "Sean tells me there is another topic you might want questions answering on as well." 4:44pm H.R. McMaster to brief the press Donald Trump's national security adviser, H.R. McMaster - who took over after Michael Flynn was fired - is due to brief the press any minute now. He has his work cut out for him. McMaster H.R. McMaster Last night, after the Washington Post published its bombshell story, he came out in front of the cameras and, in a 30 second statement, insisted the sharing of secrets never happened - "I was in the room." Yet this morning, Mr Trump said it did - and said he had the "absolute right" to do so. -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. 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