U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster and other members of the Trump administration have denied the accuracy of published reports that the president revealed highly classified information to Russian officials in the Oval Office. The original story, first reported by the Washington Post, "is false," McMaster told reporters on the White House grounds late Monday. "At no time were intelligence sources or methods discussed and the president did not disclose any military operation that was not already publicly known," he added. "I was there. It didn't happen," McMaster concluded, then turned around and re-entered the West Wing without answering reporters' questions. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who said he also attended the May 10 meeting with the Russian foreign minister and Russian ambassador, backed up McMaster's characterization of the conversation, adding in a statement that "a broad range of subjects were discussed, among which were common efforts and threats regarding counter-terrorism." Several U.S. news organizations reported that the president, in the Oval Office meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, disclosed information considered highly classified. Trump appeared to be boasting about inside knowledge of a looming threat to aviation, according to the Washington Post. The New York Times reported that the information, which was deemed to be especially sensitive, had not even been shared widely within the U.S. government or shared with other allies. |