Sarah Huckabee Sanders: Reporters 'Put National Security At Risk'
- 6 years ago
Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Monday accused reporters of leaking classified information.
Amid a tense exchange over many White House staffers having interim security clearances, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Monday said the reporters should be more concerned about their peers leaking classified information.
Sanders made that remark at a press briefing while answering questions about former White House staff secretary, Rob Porter, who departed following abuse allegations and was reportedly working with an interim security clearance.
NBC News' Kristen Welker asked, "Can you guarantee that you are protecting classified information given that you have someone like Rob Porter who didn't have a permanent security clearance to access classified information?"
Sander responded, "We take every precaution possible to protect classified information and certainly to protect national security."
But the press secretary also took aim at the media in her response.
"Frankly, if you guys have such concern with classified information, there's plenty of it that's leaked out of the Hill, that's leaked out of other communities well beyond the White House walls," Sanders stated. "If you guys have real concerns about leaking out classified information, look around this room. You guys are the ones that publish classified information and put national security at risk that doesn't come from this White House."
The issue of security clearances has made headlines after Porter's departure.
"Thirty to 40 White House officials and administration political appointees are still operating without full security clearances, including senior adviser to President Donald Trump Jared Kushner and -- until recently -- White House staffer Rob Porter, according to a US official and a source familiar with the situation," CNN noted in a recent report.
Amid a tense exchange over many White House staffers having interim security clearances, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Monday said the reporters should be more concerned about their peers leaking classified information.
Sanders made that remark at a press briefing while answering questions about former White House staff secretary, Rob Porter, who departed following abuse allegations and was reportedly working with an interim security clearance.
NBC News' Kristen Welker asked, "Can you guarantee that you are protecting classified information given that you have someone like Rob Porter who didn't have a permanent security clearance to access classified information?"
Sander responded, "We take every precaution possible to protect classified information and certainly to protect national security."
But the press secretary also took aim at the media in her response.
"Frankly, if you guys have such concern with classified information, there's plenty of it that's leaked out of the Hill, that's leaked out of other communities well beyond the White House walls," Sanders stated. "If you guys have real concerns about leaking out classified information, look around this room. You guys are the ones that publish classified information and put national security at risk that doesn't come from this White House."
The issue of security clearances has made headlines after Porter's departure.
"Thirty to 40 White House officials and administration political appointees are still operating without full security clearances, including senior adviser to President Donald Trump Jared Kushner and -- until recently -- White House staffer Rob Porter, according to a US official and a source familiar with the situation," CNN noted in a recent report.