McMaster pivots blame from Trump to White House leakers

U.S. National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster

(Image credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

published 16 May 2017

National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster said Tuesday that the "premise" of The Washington Post's report about President Trump sharing highly classified intelligence with Russian officials last week is "false."

McMaster argued that it is untrue that the president "in any way ... had a conversation that was inappropriate or resulted in any kind of lapse of national security." McMaster said that national security had instead been put at risk by people "violating confidentiality."

On Monday, McMaster had also called the report "false" but additionally claimed, "I was in the room. It didn't happen." On Tuesday, President Trump confirmed The Washington Post's report by defending his decision to divulge information to the Russians. Watch McMaster below. Jeva Lange

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.

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