WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st July, 2020) White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said during a press briefing on Tuesday that the leak of allegations that Russia offered bounties for US soldiers in Afghanistan damages the United States' ability to collect intelligence and will likely mean the US intelligence community will not reach a consensus to verify the information.
"We have seen targeted leaks of classified information against this president and it is irresponsible," McEnany said. "Make no mistake, this damages our ability as a nation to collect intelligence."
On Friday, the New York Times published an article citing unnamed intelligence officials saying President Donald Trump had received an intelligence report claiming Russia could have paid bounties to Taliban-linked militants to assassinate US and coalition troops in Afghanistan.
Trump denied being briefed saying this was another attempt at a Russia hoax to make Republicans look bad during the election year.
McEnany said the rogue US intelligence officers who leaked this information to the New York Times are risking the security of US troops abroad.
Earlier in the day, Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov said the unsubstantiated allegations are meant to disrupt cooperation between Washington and Moscow.
