Your great presidunce
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Opinion
Trump can’t be trusted with sensitive information — and now the world knows
Play Video 2:51
Trump revealed highly classified intel in Oval Office meeting with Russians
During a May 10 meeting with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak, Trump began describing details about an Islamic State terror threat, according to current and former U.S. officials. (Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry/The Washington Post)
By Editorial Board May 16
PRESIDENT TRUMP’S disclosure of highly classified information to senior Russian officials was the most disturbing demonstration yet that he is dangerously unprepared to handle sensitive national security matters. On Tuesday, Mr. Trump essentially confirmed a Post report that he provided details of the Islamic State’s plotting of airline attacks to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in an Oval Office meeting last week. The Post reported that the information could allow Moscow to identify the source of the intelligence, which came through a foreign government with which U.S. spy agencies have a special relationship.
The consequences of the president’s lapse could be far-reaching. In addition to disrupting a vital flow of intelligence and possibly endangering agents on the ground, Mr. Trump has let the world know that he and his administration cannot be trusted with sensitive information. Governments that share their secrets with the CIA, from Britain to Israel — which was reported to be the source of the information — may feel compelled to recalibrate their cooperation. Those that don’t have a cooperative relationship, such as Russia and China, will try to use their access to Mr. Trump to extract more indiscretions.
The administration’s attempts to defend the leak only underlined the continuing chaos in the White House. When the Post article first appeared Monday, senior administration officials issued denials: National security adviser H.R. McMaster and deputy adviser Dina Powell both called it “false.”Mr. Trump then undercut them by confirming on Twitter that he provided the Russians with “facts pertaining . . . to terrorism and airline flight safety,” which, he said, “I have the absolute right to do.” By midday Tuesday, Mr. McMaster found himself simultaneously arguing that he was right to call the article false and spinning the president’s leak as “appropriate.”
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In fact, everything about Mr. Trump’s engagement with the Russian officials reflected the gross inadequacy of his knowledge of foreign affairs as well as the weakness of the staff and processes he has put in place to aid him. His decision to meet with the chronically dishonest Mr. Lavrov and with Mr. Kislyak, who already had several questionable contacts with senior administration officials, itself reflected poor judgement; the Obama administration had refused to give Mr. Lavrov an Oval Office meeting since 2013. As the meeting began, U.S. journalists were banned from the room, while a Russian news-agency photographer was invited in, producing embarrassing photos and raising the possibility of a security breach.
The Post's View
Opinion
Trump can’t be trusted with sensitive information — and now the world knows
Play Video 2:51
Trump revealed highly classified intel in Oval Office meeting with Russians
During a May 10 meeting with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak, Trump began describing details about an Islamic State terror threat, according to current and former U.S. officials. (Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry/The Washington Post)
By Editorial Board May 16
PRESIDENT TRUMP’S disclosure of highly classified information to senior Russian officials was the most disturbing demonstration yet that he is dangerously unprepared to handle sensitive national security matters. On Tuesday, Mr. Trump essentially confirmed a Post report that he provided details of the Islamic State’s plotting of airline attacks to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in an Oval Office meeting last week. The Post reported that the information could allow Moscow to identify the source of the intelligence, which came through a foreign government with which U.S. spy agencies have a special relationship.
The consequences of the president’s lapse could be far-reaching. In addition to disrupting a vital flow of intelligence and possibly endangering agents on the ground, Mr. Trump has let the world know that he and his administration cannot be trusted with sensitive information. Governments that share their secrets with the CIA, from Britain to Israel — which was reported to be the source of the information — may feel compelled to recalibrate their cooperation. Those that don’t have a cooperative relationship, such as Russia and China, will try to use their access to Mr. Trump to extract more indiscretions.
The administration’s attempts to defend the leak only underlined the continuing chaos in the White House. When the Post article first appeared Monday, senior administration officials issued denials: National security adviser H.R. McMaster and deputy adviser Dina Powell both called it “false.”Mr. Trump then undercut them by confirming on Twitter that he provided the Russians with “facts pertaining . . . to terrorism and airline flight safety,” which, he said, “I have the absolute right to do.” By midday Tuesday, Mr. McMaster found himself simultaneously arguing that he was right to call the article false and spinning the president’s leak as “appropriate.”
The story must be told.
Your subscription supports journalism that matters.
Try 1 month for 99¢
In fact, everything about Mr. Trump’s engagement with the Russian officials reflected the gross inadequacy of his knowledge of foreign affairs as well as the weakness of the staff and processes he has put in place to aid him. His decision to meet with the chronically dishonest Mr. Lavrov and with Mr. Kislyak, who already had several questionable contacts with senior administration officials, itself reflected poor judgement; the Obama administration had refused to give Mr. Lavrov an Oval Office meeting since 2013. As the meeting began, U.S. journalists were banned from the room, while a Russian news-agency photographer was invited in, producing embarrassing photos and raising the possibility of a security breach.
