Americans are being asked by the Washington Post to believe its story that President leaked classified info to the Russians during a meeting. The Post is quoting anonymous sources–sources who were not in the room. According to the Post:
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 U.S. officials, who said Trump’s disclosures jeopardized a critical source of intelligence on the Islamic State.
Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, President Trump’s National Security Adviser, did attend the meeting, writes the WSJ. McMaster has been making the rounds to knock down the story:
The story that came out tonight as reported is false. The President and the foreign minister reviewed a range of common threats to our two countries, including threats to civil aviation. At no time, at no time, were intelligence sources or methods discussed. And the president did not disclose any military operations that were not already publicly known. Two other senior officials who were present, including the Secretary of State, remember the meeting the same way and have said so. Their on-the-record accounts should outweigh those of anonymous sources. And I was in the room. It didn’t happen.
Who are these anonymous sources? As the WSJ points out, there is no way readers of the Washington Post articles can figure out if the sources (“former officials”) quoted by the Post are “retired or work for defense contractors or think tanks or political operations—or perhaps at firms that have nothing to do with government.”
“But readers are able to evaluate H.R. McMaster. He has spent a highly distinguished career defending the United States. And he was at the meeting. And he’s on the record.”
Read more here.
H.R. McMaster’s White House Press Briefing (Full) | The New York Times
Debbie Young
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