Trump On Sharing Classified Info: ‘Very Un-American’
May 15, 2017
Today multiple reports revealed that Donald Trump shared highly-classified information with top Russian officials. Trump’s actions undermine the trust of our allies and risks our national security.
Trump has previously said sharing classified information was “very un-American” and that “we can’t have someone in the Oval Office who doesn’t understand the meaning of the word ‘confidential’ or classified.’” Well, Trump should look in the mirror.
See more of Trump’s previous comments on leaking classified information below:
TRUMP: “IN MY ADMINISTRATION, I'M GOING TO ENFORCE ALL LAWS CONCERNING THE PROTECTION OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION”
Trump: “In My Administration, I'm Going To Enforce All Laws Concerning The Protection Of Classified Information… No One Will Be Above The Law.” TRUMP: “In my administration, I'm going to enforce all laws concerning the protection of classified information. Those laws are already protected, we thought. Perhaps everybody is wrong, perhaps all of those that have served jail time were wrong. She got special favors and nobody has ever seen anything like it in the history of our country. No one will be above the law.” [Trump Campaign Speech, Milwaukee WI, 8/16/16]
TRUMP SAID IT WAS “VERY UN-AMERICAN” THAT “CLASSIFIED INFORMATION IS ILLEGALLY GIVEN OUT”
Trump: “The Real Scandal Here Is That Classified Information Is Illegally Given Out By ‘Intelligence’ Like Candy. Very Un-American!” [@realDonaldTrump, Twitter, 2/15/17]
TRUMP REPEATEDLY ATTACKED HILLARY CLINTON FOR BEING “EXTREMELY CARELESS” AND “NEGLIGENT” IN HANDLING CLASSIFIED INFORMATION
Trump: “When The FBI Director Says That The Secretary Of State Was ‘Extremely Careless’ And ‘Negligent’ In Handling Our Classified Secrets, I Also Know That These Terms Are Minor Compared To What She Actually Did.” TRUMP: “And when a Secretary of State illegally stores her emails on a private server, deletes 33,000 of them so the authorities can't see her crime, puts our country at risk, lies about it in every different form and faces no consequence, I know that, corruption has reached a level like never, ever before in our country. When the FBI director says that the Secretary of State was ‘extremely careless’ and ‘negligent’ in handling our classified secrets, I also know that these terms are minor compared to what she actually did. ” [Republican National Convention, Cleveland OH, 7/21/16]
TRUMP SAID CLINTON PUT AMERICAN LIVES AT RISK BY MAKING CLASSIFIED INFORMATION POTENTIALLY AVAILABLE TO FOREIGN ENEMIES
Trump: Hillary Clinton “Put Our Classified Information In The Reach Of Our Enemies” Which “Disqualifies Her From The Presidency. Totally.” TRUMP: “We also need the best protection of classified information. That is the worst situation. Hillary's private email scandal, which put our classified information in the reach of our enemies, disqualifies her from the presidency. Totally.” [Trump Campaign Rally, Fort Myers FL, 9/19/16
Trump Campaign Statement: Hillary Clinton “Put National Security At Risk By Exposing Classified Material On Thousands Of Occasions” And “Lacks The Judgment To Be President.” JASON MILLER: “This reckless scheme, which began as an attempt to conceal corruption between the Clinton Foundation and Hillary Clinton’s State Department, ultimately put national security at risk by exposing classified material on thousands of occasions. Clinton’s server clearly ran afoul of the law and these developments only further demonstrate that she lacks the judgment to be president.” [Press Release, Donald J. Trump For President, 9/13/16]
TRUMP SAID MISHANDLING OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION WAS DISQUALIFYING FOR THE PRESIDENCY
Trump: “Extreme Carelessness With Classified Material… Is Still Totally Disqualifying.” TRUMP: “In other words, she was willing to risk our foreign enemies reading her e-mails as long as the voting American public could not. Her conduct was willful, intentional, and unlawful. And her repeated false statements about her conduct prove that she was fully aware of her guilt. She knew it. She is probably the most surprised person that she was able to get away with it. This was not just extreme carelessness with classified material, which is still totally disqualifying.” [Trump Campaign Speech, Virginia Beach VA, 7/11/16]
Trump: “Crooked Hillary Clinton And Her Team ‘Were Extremely Careless In Their Handling Of Very Sensitive, Highly Classified Information.’ Not Fit!” [@realDonaldTrump, Twitter, 7/6/16]
Trump: “We Can't Have Someone In The Oval Office Who Doesn't Understand The Meaning Of The Word ‘Confidential’ Or ‘Classified.’” TRUMP: “Like the Cold War, we also need to fight this battle by collecting intelligence and then protecting our classified secrets. Hillary Clinton has taught us all how much of a problem we have by cyber security. Big thing, cyber security. We can't have someone in the Oval Office who doesn't understand the meaning of the word ‘confidential’ or ‘classified.’ Now, I think she probably understands the meaning. Such a serious situation.” [Trump Campaign Rally, Greenville NC, 9/7/16]
TRUMP CALLED FOR AN INVESTIGATION OF LEAKERS OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION
Trump: “The Real Story That Congress, The FBI And All Others Should Be Looking Into Is The Leaking Of Classified Information. Must Find Leaker Now!” [@realDonaldTrump, Twitter, 3/20/17]
Trump: “The Real Scandal Here Is That Classified Information Is Illegally Given Out By ‘Intelligence’ Like Candy. Very Un-American!” [@realDonaldTrump, Twitter, 2/15/17]
Trump: “Leaking, And Even Illegal Classified Leaking, Has Been A Big Problem In Washington For Years. Failing @Nytimes (And Others) Must Apologize!” [@realDonaldTrump, Twitter, 2/16/17]
Donald Trump: “We’re Going To Find The Leakers. They’re Going To Pay A Big Price For Leaking.”QUESTION: “Are you going to find some of those leakers, Mr. President?” TRUMP: “We’re going to find the leakers. We’re going to find the leakers. They’re going to pay a big price for leaking. It’s all about the leakers. You know the Russians are just a muse—it’s all about the leakers.” [Trump Remarks In Listening Session With Members Of Congress, Washington DC, 2/16/17]
Donald Trump: “I’ve Actually Called The Justice Department To Look Into The Leaks. Those Are Criminal Leaks… We Just Had Jeff Sessions Approved… So, We Are Looking Into That Very Seriously.” TRUMP: “Yes, we’re looking at them very — very, very serious. I’ve gone to all of the folks in charge of the various agencies and we’re — I’ve actually called the Justice Department to look into the leaks. Those are criminal leaks. They’re put out by people either in agencies — I think you’ll see it stopping because now we have our people in. You know, again, we don’t have our people in because we can’t get them approved by the Senate. We just had Jeff Sessions approved. Injustice, as an example (ph). So, we are looking into that very seriously. It’s a criminal act.” [Trump News Conference, Washington DC, 2/16/17]
TRUMP: “WE CAN'T HAVE SOMEONE IN THE OVAL OFFICE WHO DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF THE WORD ‘CONFIDENTIAL’ OR ‘CLASSIFIED.’”
Trump: “We Can't Have Someone In The Oval Office Who Doesn't Understand The Meaning Of The Word ‘Confidential’ Or ‘Classified.’” TRUMP: “Like the Cold War, we also need to fight this battle by collecting intelligence and then protecting our classified secrets. Hillary Clinton has taught us all how much of a problem we have by cyber security. Big thing, cyber security. We can't have someone in the Oval Office who doesn't understand the meaning of the word ‘confidential’ or ‘classified.’” [Trump Campaign Rally, Greenville NC, 9/7/16]
Trump: “Nobody's Ever Done Anything Like That Before, Put Classified Information In The Reach Of Our Enemies.” TRUMP: “Hide and delete her emails, nobody's ever done anything like that before, put classified information in the reach of our enemies.” [National Guard Association Of The United States 138th General Conference & Exhibition, Baltimore MD, 9/12/16]