InfoSearched
Published -
- June 29, 2020
- 8:22 am
Russia bounty plot
U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday denied any prior knowledge of a report on Russian efforts to pay Taliban-linked militants to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
What implications does this news have on the effectiveness of the current administration’s national security policy?
President Donald Trump has taken to Twitter to deny any knowledge of the alleged Russian bounty plot regarding American soldiers in Afghanistan. The news report broke on Friday, and it didn’t take long for the White House to issue a statement denying it.
The report suggested that a Russian military intelligence unit had offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants for killing American and coalition troops in Afghanistan. Although the Russian government has denied any involvement, the news has sparked concerns across the United States, with many questioning what the President knew and when he knew it.
In typical Trump fashion, he took to social media to respond to the accusations. On Sunday, he tweeted “Intel just reported to me that they did not find this info credible, and therefore, did not report it to me or @VP. Possibly another fabricated Russia Hoax, maybe by the Fake News @nytimesbooks, wanting to make Republicans look bad!!!”
Despite Trump’s tweet, sources close to the military and intelligence community claim that the intelligence was included in at least one of the President’s daily briefings. The fact that he denied any knowledge of this news has raised questions about the effectiveness of his administration’s national security policy, especially considering the delicate relationship between the United States and Russia.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat and a U.S. Army veteran, called the President’s tweets “disgusting.” Duckworth went on to say in a statement, “He had no business running for commander-in-chief if he wasn’t willing to defend our troops in the field. What, exactly, will it take for him to hold Putin accountable for these attacks on American soldiers?”
The alleged Russian bounty plot is yet another concerning development in the ongoing relationship between the United States and Russia. Despite Trump’s attempts to downplay the situation, the fact remains that American soldiers were reportedly targeted by a foreign power, and the President may have had knowledge of it.
As the investigations continue, it remains to be seen what the full extent of Trump’s knowledge of the operation was, and how the American public will react. Concerns over national security will doubtless remain at the forefront of voters’ minds as the presidential election approaches.
