Trump's communications with foreign leader are part of whistleblower complaint that spurred standoff

[Dennis Donovan]

Source: WaPo

By
Greg Miller, Ellen Nakashima and Shane Harris
September 18, 2019 at 8:56 p.m. EDT

The whistleblower complaint that has triggered a tense showdown between the U.S. intelligence community and Congress involves President Trump's communications with a foreign leader, according to two former U.S. officials familiar with the matter.

Trump's interaction with the foreign leader included a "promise" that was regarded as so troubling that it prompted an official in the U.S. intelligence community to file a formal whistleblower complaint with the inspector general for the intelligence community, said the officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

It was not immediately clear which foreign leader Trump was speaking with or what he pledged to deliver, but his direct involvement in the matter has not been previously disclosed. It raises new questions about the president's handling of sensitive information and may further strain his relationship with U.S. spy agencies. One former official said the communication was a phone call.

The White House did not respond to requests for comment. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence and a lawyer representing the whistleblower declined to comment.

Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson determined that the complaint was credible and troubling enough to be considered a matter of "urgent concern," a legal threshold that requires notification of congressional oversight committees.



Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/trumps-communications-with-foreign-leader-are-part-of-whistleblower-complaint-that-spurred-standoff-between-spy-chief-and-congress-former-officials-say/2019/09/18/df651aa2-da60-11e9-bfb1-849887369476_s

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[tblue37]

1. K&R for visibility. nt

[dawg day]

2. Putin? Kim? MBS?

MBZ?

>according to two former U.S. officials familiar with the matter.

Hmm, still sounding like Coats and his former deputy Sue Gordon, who resigned almost in tandem right before the complaint was filed.

And Coats interrupted a meeting Gordon was having to recommend she resign with him. Hmm, wonder what he said? "Leave with me, and we'll both file the complaint with the IG."

[trueblue2007]

12. Rachel is covering this breaking story right now. Bet we know what Trump PROMISED

this week. It sounds realllyyyyyyyyyy scary !!!

[PerceptionManagement]

3. Orange Mental Illness promised to blow Vlad, the Russian Midget

and continue to commit further treason and sedition

[Jim__]

4. Can anything penetrate the fog his idiot supporters live behind?

At this point, I doubt it.

[SergeStorms]

8. They have to find out about it first.

And since they only watch FOX Noise, the chances of that are slim and none.

[ck4829]

18. They won't care until it hurts them personally

In this case, Putin or whoever would have to annex their house.

[Amaryllis]

5. So if "a lawyer representing the whistleblower declined to comment" then that means

the medial is close to knwoing who the whistelblower is, right?

[dalton99a]

6. Kick

[SergeStorms]

7. Putin, no doubt.

I wonder what the orange asshole gave away this time? Oh, November 2020 can't come soon enough, so let's impeach the bastard!

[yaesu]

9. Maddow is talking about this now, had the wp reporter on. nt

[greatauntoftriplets]

10. Vlad or Little Kim.

Jesus H. Christ. More obstruction and probably an impeachable offense.

[world wide wally]

11. The confrontation with Iran has sure been escalating in the past two weeks.

Any calls with MBS?

[gordianot]

13. Well now did Bolton quit or was he fired?

Can a walrus whistle?

[ffr]

14. Hey CNN, ABC, CBS and you other turd networks. Get patriotic. Start thinking of America First.

Give this the airtime it warrants. The country you've grown up to needs you to act like journalists, not advertising whores.

IT'S TIME TO STEP UP AND BE COUNTED AS AMERICANS.

[aggiesal]

16. It's one station and their station letters are

ABCNNBCBSFOX

[PSPS]

15. It could have been Bibi.

[ck4829]

17. What was the promise?

[Stuart G]

19. Two words...""urgent concern," ..say it all. We have moved into the last act.

A troubling promise to someone...."so troubling that it prompted an official in the U.S. intelligence community to file a formal whistleblower complaint with the inspector general for the intelligence community,"

This is it...Trump thought that he was making a private promise to someone....but it was overheard by the intelligence community." This one says it all. (in my opinion)

[Bayard]

20. What does this mean?

Does it mean the intelligence officer was in the room? (then it would be easy to figure out who it was). That they have the Oval Office bugged? It doesn't sound like this is third hand information, and if it is, that means others know.

[Dennis Donovan]

21. Hopefully, this will be revealed by Schiff @ the presser coming shortly

🙏

[amcgrath]

22. If Trumps communicating dangerous material when he's being observed,

What's he saying when he meets one on on behind closed doors, demands the translators hand over their notes for destruction and threatens them with prosecution for talking about what was discussed ?

[EarthFirst]

23. Everything.

He has no filter; so the depth and breadth of the information being transferred is without a doubt; treasonous.