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---
title: Donald Trump Tweets About Sharing Intel With Russia
description: President Trump seemed to confirm a report that he gave info to Russian officials, saying he shared &quot;facts pertaining to terrorism&quot;
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author: Mahita Gajanan
article:opinion: false
article:content_tier: free
article:published_time: 2017-05-16T12:01:42.000Z
article:modified_time: 2023-12-13T08:05:39.000Z
article:section: Politics
og:title: President Trump Defends Sharing &#x27;Facts&#x27; With Russian Officials
og:description: He contradicted the White House&#x27;s message
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twitter:description: He contradicted the White House&#x27;s message
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# President Trump Defends Sharing 'Facts' With Russian Officials

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by 

[Mahita Gajanan](https://time.com/author/mahita-gajanan/)


## Mahita Gajanan


Gajanan is an editor at TIME.

Updated: Dec 13, 2023 8:05 AM UTCPublished: May 16, 2017 12:01 PM UTC

![President Donald Trump](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta116dc2bcd77b2c3/6988cd627cdbac0218d585b6/trump-lede-2.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=3:2)

Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., on May 15, 2017.

Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., on May 15, 2017. Jabin Botsford—The Washington Post/Getty Images

by 

[Mahita Gajanan](https://time.com/author/mahita-gajanan/)


## Mahita Gajanan


Gajanan is an editor at TIME.

Updated: Dec 13, 2023 8:05 AM UTCPublished: May 16, 2017 12:01 PM UTC

President Trump appeared to confirm a report that he [revealed highly classified information](http://time.com/4779986/donald-trump-russia-classified-information-isis/?xid=homepage) to Russian officials — tweeting Tuesday morning that he shared “facts pertaining to terrorism and airline flight safety.”

A [Washington _Post_ report](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-revealed-highly-classified-information-to-russian-foreign-minister-and-ambassador/2017/05/15/530c172a-3960-11e7-9e48-c4f199710b69%5Fstory.html?utm%5Fterm=.a2db7b2aed8a) published Monday, citing current and former U.S. officials, found that Trump shared highly classified intelligence about ISIS threats with Russian officials during an Oval Office meeting last week. The disclosure drew strong criticism from Democrats as well as [some Republicans](http://time.com/4780065/john-mccain-donald-trump-classified-intelligence/).

White House officials immediately denounced the report Monday evening, saying Trump did not disclose intelligence sources or methods the Russian officials, and only shared information about a range of common threats.

But [Trump’s tweets](http://time.com/4778467/lindsey-graham-trump-russia-investigation-twitter/?xid=homepage) contradicted the White House’s message. The President said he shared information relating to terrorism and flight safety for “humanitarian reasons.”

“Plus I want Russia to greatly step up their fight against ISIS & terrorism,” he said.

> [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/864436162567471104)

> [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/864438529472049152)


Officials speaking to the _Post_ said the information Trump revealed was considered so sensitive, details have been hidden from allies and held back even within the government.

In a third tweet sent about an hour after the first pair, Trump reiterated his gripe over [officials leaking information](http://time.com/donald-trump-after-hours/) to the press.

“I have been asking Director Comey & others, from the beginning of my administration, to find the LEAKERS in the intelligence community,” he wrote.

> [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/864452996129853444)

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