During a press briefing this past Monday, National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster stated that a Washington Post story where an “anonymous source” claims that POTUS Trump had revealed “highly classified information” to Russia about ISIS as “false” and “it didn’t happen”.
Not only was the meeting between Trump and the Russian minister and McMaster’s initiate knowledge of what happened there make the story false but he also says that two other senior officials and the secretary of state were present.
After the Washington Post story broke, McMaster delivered the following very brief statement to the press without taking questions:
“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 those of anonymous sources.
I was in the room. It didn’t happen.”
During the presidential campaign, then-candidate Trump promised to coordinate with Russia in jointly fighting against the Islamic terrorist group ISIS, so it doesn’t strike me as a national emergency that President Trump would include some intelligence sharing in regards to defeating the terrorist organization.
Rex Tillerson, Secrety of State, who was at the meeting, said…
“During President Trump’s meeting with Foreign Minister Lavrov a broad range of subjects were discussed among which were common efforts and threats regarding counter-terrorism. During that exchange the nature of specific threats were discussed, but they did not discuss sources, methods or military operations.”
If the Washington Post has a real story, they should encourage their anonymous “sources” to come forward with proof disputing the administration’s claims. Otherwise, unless it can collaborated, it’s going to be labeled as “fake news.”