The Note: Another Trump bombshell and its fallout

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May 16, 2017

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Another Trump bombshell and its fallout

Analysis - ABC's Rick Klein

This would be a good time for the White House to have some credibility to draw on. Not just with the press, and not just with the American public – and not just to buck up the spirits of congressional Republicans who are showing signs of cracking in their steadfast defense of indefensible actions. The explosive report in The Washington Post that President Trump revealed secret intelligence information to the Russians figures to rock the president's standing and image in the international community, just as he sets to leave on his first foreign trip. Trump's top aides are issuing denials but of things that the Post didn't say happened, marking a retreat to the expected "fake news" defense. That in itself makes this latest story part of a pattern as another shocking but hardly surprising example of the president's inexperience combined with his rambling, freewheeling style, with hints of something possibly more sinister. (Trump fires FBI Director James Comey in the middle of the Russia investigation, then reveals information to Russia the next day – about ISIS, no less.) "Obviously they're in a downward spiral right now," Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker, a onetime finalist to become Trump's secretary of state, said of the White House team. It's a telling and damaging quote, but another metaphor may be better for context. This is a fire that's billowing smoke, and threatening to expand into a conflagration that consumes all. It can't be put out with words, and certainly not with words that don't mean, well, anything at all.

White House denies report Trump shared classified intelligence with Russian officials

The White House denied an explosive Washington Post story Monday that President Donald Trump shared classified intelligence information during a meeting with members of the Russian government last week. According to The Washington Post, the nature of the information was related to an Islamic State terrorist threat and gathered by a United States intelligence partner. The report notes that Trump disclosed the information, despite Russia not being a member of the intelligence-sharing arrangement from which the information originated. ABC's ADAM KELSEY has more: http://abcn.ws/2pEngsV

Capitol Hill reacts to report that Trump shared classified intelligence

Members of President Trump's administration denied details of a Monday Washington Post report that during a meeting with the Russian foreign minister and ambassador to the United States the president shared confidential information pertaining to an Islamic State (ISIS) threat. Democrats on Capitol Hill, however, were quick to register outrage over the reported incident. ABC's ADAM KELSEY has a look at some of the reaction from lawmakers in Washington: http://abcn.ws/2rkFrB8

From the president's Twitter this morning

@realDonaldTrump: As President I wanted to share with Russia (at an openly scheduled W.H. meeting) which I have the absolute right to do, facts pertaining....@realDonaldTrump: ...to terrorism and airline flight safety. Humanitarian reasons, plus I want Russia to greatly step up their fight against ISIS & terrorism.