New WH explanation is absurd and alarming. PDB briefer didn’t READ the report on bounties to Trump. So he wasn’t “briefed” even though it was in the brief. Meanwhile, the US alerted its allies. Trump spoke with Putin at least five times. Still, nobody told him? 1/4
This suggests our country is as safe as Trump’s attention span during an oral briefing (notoriously short). On its face: he doesn’t read and nobody tells him what he needs to know even when making policy on the phone with hostile foreign counterparts. 2/4
Pointing to some disagreement in the IC is irrelevant. That’s standard course for major items like this. The WH now acknowdges it was serious enough to alert allies. Even presuming moderate confidence, any minimally competent president knows and acts accordingly. 3/4
That we knew Putin may have a policy to target our troops while Trump is regularly on the phone and inviting Putin back to the G7—over objection of the same allies warned about the bounties—shows a total lack of care for our people and our country. 4/4
