SecState Tillerson: Trump Did Not Discuss Sources or Methods With Russian Ambassador

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson denied reports that President Trump had divulged classified national intelligence when he met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov last week.

“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,” Tillerson said in a statement.

Many caught right away that the report from The Washington Post — that has since been confirmed by a growing number of news outlets — didn’t say that the president had divulged sources or methods.

McMaster says the story, “as reported, is false.” Then says Trump didn’t share “sources or methods” which is not what the story alleges.

— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) May 15, 2017

Out: Non-denial denial

In: Denial of something no one reported https://t.co/UIkkBw7UC0

— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) May 15, 2017

The WaPo story simply states that

“President Trump revealed highly classified information to the Russian foreign minister and ambassador in a White House meeting last week…The information the president relayed had been provided by a U.S. partner through an intelligence-sharing arrangement considered so sensitive that details have been withheld from allies and tightly restricted even within the U.S. government…”

And that, “The partner had not given the United States permission to share the material with Russia, and officials said Trump’s decision to do so endangers cooperation from an ally that has access to the inner workings of the Islamic State.”

“Sources” and “methods” were never alleged to have been revealed by the Commander-In-Chief.

This story is ongoing and will be updated as more details emerge.

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