Former heads of Israeli spy agency call for cutting off stream of intelligence after Trump's reveal


Former heads of the Israeli spy agency Mossad expressed fury with President Trump after it was revealed he shared highly classified information with Russian officials last week. "If tomorrow I were asked to pass information to the CIA, I would do everything I could to not pass it to them," Shabtai Shavit, who headed Mossad in the 1990s, told The Times of Israel.
Another former Mossad head, Danny Yatom, said: "We need to punish the Americans, it's possible, so that we don't put Trump in a position where he is again tempted. We need to abstain from transferring information to him, or to only give him partial information so that he can't endanger any source." A current Israeli intelligence official added: "We have to re-evaluate if we should pass along information and what information we should pass along to the Americans. This is our greatest ally, and we share with them heaps of super-secret information."
Shavit additionally refused to excuse Trump's error as being a rookie mistake. "It's, what? One hundred and twenty days since he got into the White House? Foul-up follows foul-up over there," he said. "[Trump] is trying to run the country like he ran his private company — and it doesn't work. What can you do? It doesn't work. That's the source of the troubles."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Israel is believed to have been the source of the intelligence Trump shared with the Russians. Trump is set to visit the country during his first trip abroad next week.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
‘Tariffs at their essence are an income transfer’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Why is Trump backtracking on the Hyundai immigration raid?
Today’s Big Question Backlash threatens investment in US manufacturing
-
The 9 restaurants to eat at this very moment
The Week Recommends They’re award-winning. Isn’t that reason enough?
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to Trump
Speed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raids
Speed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raid
Speed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'
Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearing
Speed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mount
Speed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
-
Epstein accusers urge full file release, hint at own list
speed read A rally was organized by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are hoping to force a vote on their Epstein Files Transparency Act
-
Court hands Harvard a win in Trump funding battle
Speed Read The Trump administration was ordered to restore Harvard's $2 billion in research grants