The Senate intelligence committee is seeking information from the White House on Tuesday about claims that President Donald Trump apparently disclosed classified information to Russian officials.
“The Senate intelligence committee has reached out to the White House to request additional information on recent reports about alleged dissemination of intelligence information,” Becca Watkins, a spokeswoman for Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr, told CNN.
Burr, a Republican, and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, say they have not yet heard from the White House on Trump’s meeting with the Russian officials.
The intelligence committee meets Tuesday afternoon in a previously scheduled closed session, but senators on the panel say they expect Trump’s meeting to Russian officials to be an issue that’s raised.
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Tuesday he wanted any transcripts of Trump’s meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and other Russian officials to be provided to the intelligence committee.
Trump shared highly classified information with the Russian foreign minister and Russian ambassador to the US in an Oval Office meeting last week, The Washington Post first reported Monday. CNN has confirmed the reporting.
On the House side, CIA Director Mike Pompeo is expected to brief that chamber’s intelligence committee on Tuesday on Trump’s apparent leaking.
Trump defended himself in a series of tweets Tuesday, saying he had the “absolute right” to share information about terrorism threats with the Russians, but his message notably lacked any reference to whether the information is classified.