H.R. McMaster carefully refutes report that Trump gave Russians certain classified information


In a hastily put together press conference, National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster said Monday night that The Washington Post's report about President Trump sharing highly classified intelligence with Russian officials last week is "false," at least "as reported," later adding: "I was in the room. It didn't happen."
"There's nothing the president takes more seriously than the security of the American people," McMaster said. "The story that came out tonight as reported is false. The president and the foreign minister reviewed a range of common threats to our two countries, including threats to civil aviation. At no time were intelligence sources or methods discussed, and the president did not discuss any military operations that were not already publicly known."
McMaster said two other senior officials were also present during Trump's meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in the Oval Office, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, and "they remember the meeting the same way and have said so." One of the reporters credited with the scoop, Greg Miller, said the White House is playing "word games," and The Washington Post "absolutely" stands by the story.
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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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