Democrats rage as Trump limits classified intel sharing with Congress
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Top congressional Democrats are furious over President Trump's decision to limit intelligence sharing with Capitol Hill after the alleged leaks of preliminary assessments about the U.S. strike on Iranian nuclear sites.
Why it matters: Democrats see the Trump decision as a significant escalation in what they say is the White House's attempt to stonewall Congress about the Iran conflict.
- "This isn't about national security—it's about Trump's insecurity. President Trump is cutting off intelligence to Congress, raising one clear question: what is he hiding?" Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) told Axios in a statement.
- "It must be bad news," Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) told Axios of the intel surrounding the Iran strike. "They were embarrassed by the leak because it suggested that they did not obliterate the Iran nuclear program as promised."
- Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told Axios he wanted more information about the situation before issuing a full statement, but offered: "It would be extraordinarily disturbing."
House Intel Committee ranking member Jim Himes (D-Conn.) said the leak of classified information is "unacceptable and should be fully investigated," but that it's "also unacceptable for the Administration to use unsubstantiated speculation" to "justify cutting off Congress."
- "The law requires the congressional intelligence committees to be kept fully and currently informed, and I expect the Intelligence Community to comply with the law."
- "It is particularly concerning that our official oversight work could be cut by punitive or partisan restrictions to classified information," Rep. Andre Carson (D-Ind.) told Axios. Carson is also on House Intel.
Driving the news: Trump will limit information sharing with Congress going forward, Axios' Marc Caputo scooped on Wednesday.
- "We are declaring a war on leakers," a senior White House official said Wednesday.
- The intel was shared with Congress late Monday and CNN and the New York Times published details from the reports by Tuesday afternoon, Axios reported.
- "Go figure: Almost as soon as we put the information on [the system used to share intel with Congress], it leaks," an administration source said.
Zoom in: The White House earlier this week delayed briefings for both the House and Senate on the Iran conflict. Democratic leaders on both sides of the Capitol cried foul.
- Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard also backed out of a briefing with the Senate Intelligence Committee last week, which ruffled Democratic feathers.
- A senior House Democrat told Axios that leadership is "not happy," adding, "And this from a group of people who used signal about actual war plans?"
- "This is more backpedaling because they don't want to come here and present the facts," a Democratic leadership aide told Axios on the condition of anonymity.
