Trump Reacts to Media Frenzy over Intelligence Whistleblower: 'Another Fake News Story'
President Donald Trump on Thursday responded to a story claiming a U.S. intelligence official filed a whistleblower complaint over a “promise” the president allegedly made to a foreign leader.
The story is “Fake News,” the president said, plain and simple.
Citing two former U.S. intelligence officials whom it did not name, The Washington Post reported Wednesday that “Trump’s interaction with the foreign leader included a ‘promise’ that was regarded as so troubling that it prompted an official in the U.S. intelligence community to file a formal whistleblower complaint with the inspector general for the intelligence community.”
Not so, Trump said Thursday.
“Another Fake News story out there – It never ends!” he tweeted.
“Virtually anytime I speak on the phone to a foreign leader, I understand that there may be many people listening from various U.S. agencies, not to mention those from the other country itself,” Trump said. “No problem!”
Another Fake News story out there – It never ends! Virtually anytime I speak on the phone to a foreign leader, I understand that there may be many people listening from various U.S. agencies, not to mention those from the other country itself. No problem!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 19, 2019
In a follow-up post, the president wondered aloud whether people really think he’d say something he should not on a potentially wiretapped call with a foreign leader.
“Knowing all of this, is anybody dumb enough to believe that I would say something inappropriate with a foreign leader while on such a potentially ‘heavily populated’ call,” Trump said.
….Knowing all of this, is anybody dumb enough to believe that I would say something inappropriate with a foreign leader while on such a potentially “heavily populated” call. I would only do what is right anyway, and only do good for the USA!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 19, 2019
“I would only do what is right anyway, and only do good for the USA!” he added.
“Presidential Harassment!” the president concluded.
Presidential Harassment!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 19, 2019
At this point, it appears that someone within the U.S. intelligence community did indeed file a whistleblower complaint.
However, the specific details that led to this complaint being filed are much less clear.
“It was not immediately clear which foreign leader Trump was speaking with or what he pledged to deliver,” The Post reported, adding, “One former official said the communication was a phone call.”
In a statement Wednesday, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff, a Democrat, said intelligence community Inspector General Michael Atkinson had deemed the complaint “both credible and urgent.”
Atkinson met with Intelligence Committee lawmakers in a closed-door meeting Thursday morning. After the meeting, Schiff told reporters the Justice Department believes the material in the complaint is shielded via privilege and does not have to be shared with lawmakers, according to NPR.
Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire has thus far refused to reveal the contents of the complaint to lawmakers, CNN reported.
But Maguire has agreed to testify before the Intelligence Committee next week, according to Schiff’s statement.
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