Capitol Hill Republicans expressed alarm Tuesday at reports that Donald Trump shared highly classified information with Russian officials and demanded a full accounting from the administration of what the president said.
The House Intelligence Committee is expected to be briefed by CIA Director Mike Pompeo on Tuesday night, two sources said. The meeting with Pompeo, a former member of the panel, was previously scheduled. But he is expected to be grilled about the latest relevation.
While congressional Republicans have typically been quick to look past Trump’s controversies, they shuddered at the notion that Trump’s apparent disclosure of an Islamic State plot may have undercut U.S. intelligence-gathering methods, and potentially jeopardized the source of information to an adversary nation. The news was first reported by The Washington Post and confirmed by other outlets.
“The reports that the President shared sensitive intelligence with Russian officials are deeply disturbing,” Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said in a statement Tuesday morning. “Reports that this information was provided by a U.S. ally and shared without its knowledge sends a troubling signal to America’s allies and partners around the world and may impair their willingness to share intelligence with us in the future.”
Numerous Republicans demanded more information from the White House. Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), a former U.S. Marine who served in Iraq, asked to see the transcript of Trump’s conversation with the Russian officials.
“For the purpose of transparency, the White House should share a transcript of the meeting with the House and Senate intelligence committees,” Gallagher wrote in a series of tweets. “As an intelligence officer by training, I know firsthand the life and death implications of safeguarding classified information…Our allies and partners must have the utmost confidence that sensitive information they hare with us will not be disclosed.”
The critical reaction from Capitol Hill comes less than a week after Trump set off a similar firestorm with his sudden dismissal of FBI director James Comey. Now, GOP lawmakers are again having to deal with another Russia-related drama out of the White House.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said in a statement that the release of information that Trump apparently disclosed “has the potential to jeopardize sources and to discourage our allies from sharing future information vital to our security.” She asked for clarity from the administration, noting that there are “conflicting reports about whether or not President Trump disclosed sensitive information to the Russians.”
“Although the President has the legal authority to disclose classified information, it would be very troubling if he did share such sensitive reporting with the Russians,” she said. “The Senate Intelligence Committee should be briefed on this important issue immediately.»
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) echoed that sentiment: «My understanding and my hope is that [National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster] is going to come out and answer questions from the public and the press.»
In an interview with Bloomberg Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said congressional Republicans could “could do with a little less drama from the White House on a lot of things so we can focus on our agenda, which is: Deregulation, tax reform and repealing and replacing Obamacare.”
The White House is expected to send talking points to Capitol Hill Republicans, though so far there does not yet appear to be organized effort to calm concerned lawmakers.
Some Republicans declined to weigh in on the news. Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley said he could not discuss the allegations until Congress is briefed by the CIA and the intelligence committee.
The Iowa Republican noted, however, that Trump can declassify whatever information he wishes.
«That’s what the law says,» Grassley said.
But West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, a conservative Democrat who is close with Trump, said the president’s alleged behavior flies in the face of how he and other Intelligence Committee members have been trained to treat classified information.
«I know the severity of what happens and people’s lives are out on jeopardy,» Manchin said in an interview. «This is not the way we conduct business. This is not the way you do things.»
John Bresnahan contributed to this report.
Hill Republicans alarmed by Trump disclosure to Russians
Politico May 16, 2017
