GOP senators release list of Obama officials who asked to 'unmask' Flynn. It 'backfired,' Biden campaign says.
Two Republicans senators released a list Wednesday of three dozen former Obama administration officials who had asked the National Security Agency in late 2016 for the name of an American — Michael Flynn, President Trump's national security adviser, it turned out — whose conversations with foreign agents had been intercepted. The list was requested by acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell, a Trump loyalist, and sent to Sens. Chuck Grassley (Iowa) and Ron Johnson (Wis.). After they released it, Trump immediately touted Flynn's "unmasking" as "a massive thing." It doesn't appear to be.
"Unmasking" is routine, and has actually increased under Trump. Grenell's list includes former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, but "Biden and the other officials had full authority to seek the name of the unidentified American in the reports — it turned out to be Flynn — and did so through proper channels," The Associated Press reports, citing Trump administration documents. "Rather than reveal any actual wrongdoing, the release of the information by the president's allies seems designed to create suspicion around Biden and other senior Democrats as the November election approaches."
The NSA said in a note appended to the documents that there's no indication the people named actually read the unmasked intelligence.
Subscribe to 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.
Andrew Bates, a Biden campaign spokesman, argued that Trump's "dishonest" attempt "to distract from his response to the worst public health crisis in 100 years has backfired," noting that the documents actually "indicate the breadth and depth of concern across the American government — including among career officials" — about Flynn's discussions with foreign agents. "Importantly, none of these individuals could have known Flynn's identity beforehand," he added.
Trump and his allies are trying to link Biden and other officials to Flynn's arrest for repeatedly lying to the FBI about his conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, but that intelligence "was held by the FBI, not the NSA," The Washington Post notes. Also, "the list released Wednesday shows a flurry of unmasking requests in mid-December, weeks before the Flynn-Kislyak calls. Most of the U.S. requesters are not household names, but rather, Treasury, NATO, and intelligence officials."
"If you want to be transparent and fair," national security lawyer Mark Zaid suggested to Republicans, "show us the document that led all these senior authorized government officials to request this information, that freaked them out all at the same time."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
The Week contest: Airport goodbyes
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
'We shouldn't be surprised that crypto is back'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
How the national debt affects your finances
Rachel Reeves has changed the rules, but why does that matter?
By Marc Shoffman, The Week UK Published
-
British warship repels 'largest Houthi attack to date' in the Red Sea
Speed read Western allies warn of military response to Iranian-backed Yemeni rebels if attacks on ships continue
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Houthi rebels claim Red Sea ship attacks
speed read Iran-backed Yemeni group vows to escalate aggression towards Israel-linked vessels in revenge for Gaza war
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Israel plans next phase of Gaza war as first hostages released
Speed read After four-day ceasefire 'we will not stop' until destruction of Hamas, says Israel
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Mob storms Russian airport 'looking for Jews'
Speed Read Plane from Israel surrounded by rioters chanting antisemitic slogans after landing in Russia's Dagestan region
By The Week UK Published
-
Tuberville's military promotions block is upending lives, combat readiness, 3 military branch chiefs say
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Ukraine's counteroffensive is making incremental gains. Does it matter in the broader war?
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
US commissions first-ever Navy ship in a foreign port
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
British spy chief, Wagner video suggest Prigozhin is alive and freely 'floating around'
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published