Lt. Gen. McMaster Says President Trump's Intel Reveal Was 'Wholly Appropriate'

WASHINGTON, DC — National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster on Tuesday defended President Trump from reports that he revealed classified intelligence to Russian officials last week, saying what Trump did was "wholly appropriate." He also implied that the president made the decision to reveal the intel in the moment, rather than ahead of time. McMaster refused to explain whether or not the intelligence was derived from another foreign power — that reports out Tuesday suggested was Israel — which the administration may not have had permission to reveal.

Trump is under fire after the Washington Post, along with several other outlets, reported that he gave Russian officials potentially sensitive classified intelligence. Officials told the Post the decision was "reckless," that it endangered the source of the intelligence and jeopardized our espionage-sharing relationships with allies. (For more information on this and other political stories, subscribe to the White House Patch for daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Shortly after McMaster's press briefing, the New York Times reported that the intelligence in question came from Israel. The Times notes that sharing this intelligence with Russia, which is a close ally of Israel's regional rival Iran, could damage the U.S. relationship with Israel.

McMaster was the president's primary defender against the backlash, arguing in a carefully worded statement both in print and on television that the president did not discuss intelligence sources or methods; however, he did not address the central claims of the reports.

"The premise of that article is false," McMaster said at the briefing Tuesday.

McMaster said he stuck by his comments Monday night, saying that he contested the central premise of the Washington Post report that Trump did anything inappropriate or that jeopardized national security. He said that we should be more worried about the damage leaks like those to the Washington Post could cause.

He said that the president made the decision "within the context of the conversation" to reveal the classified information. He would not say whether the information Trump revealed was from allies who would not have wanted it shared.

"It was our impression, of all of us who were in the meeting, that it was wholly appropriate," McMaster said. "The president in no way compromised any sources or methods."

Asked whether the president mentioned a specific city as a source of the intelligence, McMaster essentially confirmed that fact. He said that anyone with information about ISIS would be able to guess the city that was mentioned.

"The President wasn't even aware of where this information came from," McMaster said. "He wasn't briefed on the source and method."

Originally, it had been planned as a joint briefing with White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer in the afternoon, but the White House issued a last-minute schedule change. Spicer will deliver an off-camera gaggle with press at 2 p.m. Eastern.

Like the White House Patch Facebook Page.

Follow us on Twitter.

Sign up to comment on the site.

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images News/Getty Images