President Donald Trump tweeted that he had the absolute right to share information with Russia. Photo/AP
President Donald Trump tweeted that he had the absolute right to share information with Russia. Photo/AP
The top secret information Donald Trump reportedly gave to Russian diplomats during a meeting in the Oval Office last week pertained to an Islamic State bomb-making plot, it has emerged.
As the White House was in damage control today, the New York Times reported Israel, a major US ally and intelligence sharer, was the source behind the information in question.
That report was backed up by other media outlets, including CNN and the Wall Street Journal, though Israel itself has not officially confirmed the story.
The President's actions, which breached foreign intelligence-sharing protocol, could badly damage diplomatic relations between the US and its closest Middle East ally.
But what exactly did he reveal? Here are the key points.
The intelligence Trump shared related to the Islamic State's bomb-making capabilities.
As the Washington Post first reported, Trump shared details about an ISIS terror threat related to the use of laptop computers on planes. ISIS had developed new ways to place explosives while evading airport security.
This intelligence was considered "code word classified", which is the highest level of classified information - even more top secret than top secret.
In his tweets today, Trump described the information as "facts pertaining to terrorism and airline safety".
The disclosure was so sensitive that White House officials immediately contacted the National Security Agency and CIA after Trump's meeting to try to minimise the damage.
Trump did not reveal the source of the intelligence, nor did he outline the method used to gather it. However, officials worried he had given the Russians enough details to be able to identify the source themselves.
Trump met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in the Oval Office last week. Photo/AP
'Unknown source'
The President didn't even know where the intelligence he shared with Russia was from, according to National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, who made the admission during a press conference.
McMaster also downplayed the significance of the information Trump revealed. He said the President had been engaging in "routine sharing" with foreign leaders and argued that some of the information was publicly available anyway.
He said the President "wasn't even aware where this information came from" and "wasn't briefed on the sources and methods".
The fallout
There are the some obvious consequences - a potentially compromised intelligence source, and the mistrust Trump has earned from Israel by sharing its classified information without permission.
The fact that Trump was speaking to the Russians is particularly problematic. Russia is aligned with Iran, which is considered a major threat to Israel - the information Trump gave Russia could end up in Iran's hands.
But the revelation may have further repercussions beyond Israel, with other countries potentially being unwilling to share intelligence information with Trump.
At least one European nation has said it may stop sharing intelligence with the US, if it's proved Trump shared the information with Russia. The Associated Press didn't identify the country or official in question.
An Israeli intelligence officer told Buzzfeed they "would not trust a partner who shared intelligence" without telling them first.
"There is a special understanding of security co-operation between our countries. To know that this intelligence is shared with others, without our prior knowledge? That is, for us, our worst fears confirmed," the officer said.
Israeli ambassador to the United States, Ron Dermer however reaffirmed that the two nations remained close.
Defiant Trump
President Trump has remained defiant and tweeted he had the "absolute right" to reveal what he did.
As President I wanted to share with Russia (at an openly scheduled W.H. meeting) which I have the absolute right to do, facts pertaining....
"Regrettably, the time President Trump spent sharing sensitive information with the Russians, was time he did not spend focusing on Russia's aggressive behaviour, including its interference in American and European elections, it's illegal invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Crimea," he said.
Trump reportedly shared the information during last week's White House meeting and even boasted about the intelligence he had.
An excerpt from an official transcript of the meeting reveals that Trump told them: "I get great intel. I have people brief me on great intel every day."
The meeting
Last week's Oval Office meeting between Trump and Lavrov was held behind closed doors and the White House banned media from attending.
But White House officials were left red-faced after photos of the smiling pair were released by Russian media over Twitter.
The Russian Embassy also released a picture of a smiling Trump shaking hands with Sergey Kislyak, Russia's ambassador in Washington.
