The Latest: National security adviser to brief reporters

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

The Latest: National security adviser to brief reporters

21 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the report that President Donald Trump shared classified information with Russian officials (all times EDT):

10:50 a.m.

President Donald Trump’s national security adviser plans to brief reporters at the White House.

The White House says H.R. McMaster will hold an on-camera briefing before noon. He was originally scheduled to appear with press secretary Sean Spicer, but Spicer plans to hold a separate, off-camera session with reporters later in the day, after McMaster’s appearance.

Reporters had been promised a briefing from McMaster about Trump’s first overseas trip, which opens Friday. But McMaster is likely to face questions about reports that Trump shared classified intelligence information with Russian officials when they met in the Oval Office last week.

McMaster has denied the reports, telling reporters Monday after the story broke: “I was in the room. It didn’t happen.”

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Read more: https://apnews.com/d941959a6ba4495993916b13d217e9ae/The-Latest:-National-security-adviser-to-brief-reporters

[dalton99a]

1. He's an active-duty officer with a lot to lose if he disobeys

[karynnj]

2. Could that explain his short denial of things NEVER alleged, ignoring the true allegations

altogether? Isn't his oath to the Constitution of the US, not the President of the United States. Note that lying to media is not a crime. It would become so only if he was under oath. I hope the Burr/Warner Intelligence committee subpoenas him.

[dalton99a]

5. I hope he resigns to save his reputation.

I think his days in the WH are numbered anyway

[karynnj]

7. After seeing his performance at the press conference, my impressions are:

1) He looked uncomfortable and sometimes irritated as if he did not want to be answering the questions asked.

2) He was very much a good soldier, sticking to very narrow talking points. How many times did he repeat "wholly appropriate", maybe to avoid more problematic answers and to make it the phrase reported. As "wholly appropriate has not fixed meaning, he can't be said to have lied. The meaning is both in the eyes of the beholder and subjective.

3) At the end, as reporters questioned his statement that no one in the room thought Trump was inappropriate - asking if so, why rush to the heads of the CIA and NSA for damage control.

4) The most ominous thing was that while he absolved Trump, he completely blamed the White House.

[karynnj]

7. After seeing his performance at the press conference, my impressions are:

1) He looked uncomfortable and sometimes irritated as if he did not want to be answering the questions asked.

2) He was very much a good soldier, sticking to very narrow talking points. How many times did he repeat "wholly appropriate", maybe to avoid more problematic answers and to make it the phrase reported. As "wholly appropriate has not fixed meaning, he can't be said to have lied. The meaning is both in the eyes of the beholder and subjective.

3) At the end, as reporters questioned his statement that no one in the room thought Trump was inappropriate - asking if so, why rush to the heads of the CIA and NSA for damage control.

4) The most ominous thing was that while he absolved Trump, he completely blamed the White House.

[Leghorn21]

4. Some tweet I just read said that the only way he can quit is to retire from his career

altogether...last week, someone wondered if DFT might give him a promotion, kick him upstairs to the Pentagon or something, then replace him.

Oh, and I believe he had no choice but to accept his current position, since it was like being assigned to a "post" - ? - unlike Mattis, who made a clear choice?

As usual, though, I know nothin - argh

[MattP]

3. You shouldn't be active duty and in the cabinet

[KingCharlemagne]

9. NSA is not in the cabinet. not subject to Senate Confirmation. - nt

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. Overseas trip?

I am hoping for news shots of trump being dragged up the aisle of Air Force One. if the story of the indictments and pending arrests are true.