What Happened?

According to The Washington Post, President Donald Trump revealed highly classified information to the Russian foreign minister and ambassador in a White House meeting last week.

During a meeting with Russian officials earlier this month, Trump gave classified information to the Russians in their White House meeting, according to The Washington Post who cited current and former U.S. officials, but at the time of publication, their identities had not been confirmed.

The information the president relayed was provided by a U.S. partner through an intelligence-sharing arrangement considered so sensitive that details have been withheld from allies and tightly restricted even within the U.S. government, unconfirmed officials said according to The Washington Post.

While the specific details of what Trump actually said were not revealed, he took to Twitter to defend his actions, “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….” Trump tweeted. “…to terrorism and airline flight safety. Humanitarian reasons, plus I want Russia to greatly step up their fight against ISIS & terrorism.”

According to GQ Magazine and The Washington Post, “Communications staff and senior staffers at the White House were literally “hiding in offices,” according to a senior Trump aide, as a gaggle of White House press stormed White House hallways just after the Washington Post story broke on Monday evening.”

In response on Tuesday, Deputy National Security Adviser Dina Powell said the story was “false,” and National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster said he was “in the room” and “it didn’t happen.”