Thread by @jaketapper

The national security official I trust had some tough words for NSA Robert O’Brien’s comments about @BernieSanders on abc news, which contradict US intel —

Thread/

2/ “There are these reports that they want Bernie Sanders to get elected president," O'Brien said. "That's no surprise. He honeymooned in Moscow."

That’s not what the intel says, the official told me, also taking issue with the political nature of the comments.

3/ The report in the Washington Post, which broke the story, stated not that the Russians want Sanders to get election president, but rather that "Russia is attempting to help his presidential campaign as part of an effort to interfere with the Democratic contest."

4/ In other words, this is part of a campaign of sowing discord and as of now is focused entirely on the primaries.

That senior national security contradicts O'Brien: “The intelligence is that there is no preference right now," the official said. "Not Bernie, not Trump."

5/ So why did O'Brien say what he said?

"Perhaps his first instincts are more political than that of a national security professional," said the official, noting that in Las Vegas on Friday, President Trump said ”Wouldn’t (Putin) rather have Bernie, who honeymooned in Moscow?"

6/ O'Brien's comment about Sanders has nothing to do with intelligence data, or collection, and everything to do with pleasing the president, the official said.

7/ "By saying that, O'Brien injected himself into the campaign by commenting on a potential rival. If he's willing to say that as national security adviser, what does that mean for the next nine months? And what is he doing when the camera's not on him?"