Donald Trump faces pressure over Russia bounties to kill US troops

President Donald Trump on Tuesday got here beneath rising strain to reply to allegations that Russia provided bounties for killing American troops in Afghanistan, with Democrats demanding solutions and accusing Trump of bowing to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the threat of US troopers’ lives.

Frustrated House Democrats getting back from a briefing on the White House mentioned they discovered nothing new about American intelligence assessments that urged Russia was making overtures to militants because the US and the Taliban held talks to finish the battle in Afghanistan. Senate Republicans who attended a separate briefing largely defended the president, arguing together with the White House that the intelligence was unverified.

The intelligence assessments have been first reported by The New York Times, then confirmed to The Associated Press by American intelligence officers and others with information of the matter.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany mentioned Tuesday that Trump had been briefed on the intelligence, a day after saying he hadn’t as a result of it had not been verified. McEnany added that there have been nonetheless reservations inside the intelligence group on the veracity of the allegations.

“Make no mistake. This president will always protect American troops,” she mentioned.

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and a small group of different House Democrats met with White House officers as Trump downplayed the allegations. The Democrats questioned why Trump wouldn’t have been briefed sooner and pushed White House officers to have the president make a powerful assertion concerning the matter.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, one of many Democrats who attended the briefing, mentioned it was “inexplicable” why Trump received’t say publicly that he’s working to unravel the problem and why he received’t name out Putin. He mentioned Trump’s protection that he hadn’t been briefed was inexcusable.

“Many of us do not understand his affinity for that autocratic ruler who means our nation ill,” Schiff mentioned.

Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., a freshman and former Navy helicopter pilot and Russia coverage officer, mentioned White House chief of employees Mark Meadows briefed the group. She mentioned the Democrats advised the White House briefers that the president ought to make a press release.

“These are very concerning allegations and if they’re true, Russia is going to face repercussions,” Sherrill mentioned. “We really pushed that strongly in the meeting.” She wouldn’t say how the White House officers reacted or say if the briefers advised the Democrats that in reality Trump had been briefed.

Trump and his aides set a excessive bar for briefing a president since it’s uncommon for intelligence to be confirmed and not using a shadow of doubt earlier than it’s offered to senior authorities decision-makers.

McEnany declined to say why a distinct customary of confidence within the intelligence would possibly apply to briefing lawmakers than for bringing data to the president.

Some House Republicans who have been briefed by the White House on Monday additionally mentioned they left with questions.

Texas Rep. Mac Thornberry, the highest Republican on the Armed Services Committee, mentioned the panel would “leave no stone unturned” in looking for additional data. Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming insisted there could be “ramifications” for any concentrating on of Americans.

But Senate Republicans appeared much less involved and questioned the media experiences. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell mentioned he didn’t assume Trump ought to be “subjected to every rumour.” “Conclusions, apparently, were not reached,” McConnell mentioned.

The White House was working to schedule a briefing for Wednesday with McConnell, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the highest Republicans and Democrats on the 2 intelligence committees in keeping with an individual conversant in the talks. The individual declined to be recognized as a result of the so-called “Gang of 8” briefing will probably be categorised. That group receives essentially the most delicate data in common conferences with administration officers.

A separate group of Senate Republicans briefed within the White House Situation Room on Tuesday appeared principally glad with the solutions they acquired. Senate Armed Services Chairman Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma mentioned he was “convinced” Trump hadn’t recognized concerning the intelligence. Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, mentioned Trump “can’t be made aware of every piece of unverified intelligence.” Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Marco Rubio mentioned he believed the US was ready “to do everything possible to protect our men or women stationed abroad, from a variety of threats.” Some Republican senators did categorical frustration.

Nebraska Republican Ben Sasse, a member of the intelligence panel, mentioned Monday night that Congress ought to give attention to discovering out who knew what, and when, “and did the commander in chief know? And if not, how the hell not?” While Russian meddling in Afghanistan isn’t new, officers mentioned Russian operatives grew to become extra aggressive of their need to contract with the Taliban and members of the Haqqani Network, a militant group aligned with the Taliban in Afghanistan and designated a international terrorist group in 2012.

The intelligence group has been investigating an April 2019 assault on an American convoy that killed three US Marines after a automotive rigged with explosives detonated close to their armored automobiles as they traveled again to Bagram Airfield, the most important US army set up in Afghanistan, officers advised the AP.