Classified Information and Russian Officials

Yesterday afternoon the Washington Post broke the story involving the President revealing classified information regarding the Islamic State to members of the Russian Government. Now we have since learned that the intelligence came from the Israelis and the United States had not been given permission to disseminate it. The article claims that the President was boasting about his intelligence apparatus and may have given details regarding a city and other information that would lead to possibly revealing sources. It’s important to note that while the information was classified, it is not illegal for the President to disseminate it. The President has basically infinite latitude when it comes to releasing and de-classifying information

Last night, National Security Advisor, General McMaster gave a brief statement saying:

I have a brief statement for the record. There is nothing that the president takes more seriously than the security of the American people. 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, where intelligent 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 the State, remember the meeting the same way and have said so. Their on the record accounts should outweigh anonymous sources. I was in the room. It didn’t happen.

Many saw this as a non-denial denial. The statement never specifically addressed the claims made in the article and seems to side-stepped the controversial issues altogether.

Then in the morning the President had his first public statement on the topic on Twitter:

Rather than deny the claims made in the Washington Post’s article, the President seems to almost say that he is allowed (which he is) to say these things and therefore it makes it alright.

Attempting to clarify things further General McMaster gave another briefing in which he said:

In the context of that discussion, what the president discussed with the foreign minister was wholly appropriate to that conversation and is consistent with the routine sharing of information between the president and any leaders with whom he’s engaged… It is wholly appropriate for the president to share whatever information he thinks is necessary to advance the security of the American people. That’s what he did.

After the President’s tweets this morning, the administration has seemed to pivot to saying that what he did was entirely within the norms of the office.

A few Republican Senators have weighed in, Senator Corker said:

Obviously, they are in a downward spiral right now and have got to figure out a way to come to grips with all that’s happening. And the shame of it is, there’s a really good national security team in place.

The biggest concerns here lie with how our allies see us and how it affects our ability to cultivate intelligence in the future. It seems pretty clearly that the President didn’t break any laws, but the President’s lack of respect for the intelligence that is being delivered to him is worrisome.

President Trump and former FBI Director Comey’s conversations

Then, this evening the New York Times ran a story regarding the President attempting to influence the then FBI Directors investigation into Mike Flynn, the former National Security Advisor. Their sources are claiming that the President had a private meeting with Director Comey and said:

I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go.

This all comes after the President fired him last week and he said that the “made up” Russia story played a factor in his decision. The sources are telling the Times that the Director had kept detailed notes about all meetings and calls he had with the President. It’s important to note that these memos are not classified, but the Times article also says that the reporters have not yet seen the memos.

In an attempt to get to the bottom of this the Republican Chairman of the House Oversight Committee, Jason Chaffetz, requested that the FBI turn over any documents pertaining to the conversations between the President and former Director Comey. There is concern that if the sources accounting of the memos are accurate, the President’s comments could be construed as obstruction of justice. Having the President attempting to influence or encouraging the ending of an investigation is obviously disturbing, especially considering the investigation was so close to the President.

The White House put out the following statement denying the claims in the article saying:

The president has never asked Mr. Comey or anyone else to end an investigation, including any investigation involving General Flynn…This is not a truthful or accurate portrayal of the conversation between the president and Mr. Comey.

This revelation regarding conversations between the President and former Director Comey is still developing and we’ll just have to see if more comes out in the next couple of days.