Trump Says he Wasn’t Briefed on Russia Bounties. Watch as Veteran WH Adviser Says That’s Nonsense
Late this week, US Intelligence revealed that Russia had secretly offered money to Afghani troops who killed American soldiers. This information should have been explosive to Donald Trump, who has continued to support Vladimir Putin. Just recently, the President reportedly asked members of the G-7 to allow Russia back in the group.

But according to the President, neither he or Mike Pence were briefed on the bounty situation. David Gergen, who worked in numerous administrations, says this is hard to believe.
The long-time adviser made the comments while appearing on CNN. He was asked by Ana Cabrera, “In early May he announced the U.S. had a great friendship with Russia. And later that same month, he reiterated his desire to invite Russia into the G-7. David, you have worked in four White Houses. Why wouldn’t a president have been briefed on intelligence like this?”
Nobody briefed or told me, @VP Pence, or Chief of Staff @MarkMeadows about the so-called attacks on our troops in Afghanistan by Russians, as reported through an “anonymous source” by the Fake News @nytimes. Everybody is denying it & there have not been many attacks on us…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 28, 2020
“He would have been — in every single White House that I’ve ever worked in, and every single White House I know anything about,” Gergen replied. “This is very, very important information. It does affect the relationship with Russia. He would have been briefed instantaneously. It would have been in the materials sent in to him, and it would have been discussed with him.”
Gergen continued, “The president stood up for him (Putin). So all of that suggests that this is a much more complicated story. What we’re possibly facing is that … the president was briefed but that he had reasons relating to his reelection and his relationship with Russia that he’s being very dovish about this.”
Watch a video of Gergen’s comments below, courtesy of CNN:
“He would have been briefed instantaneously. It would have been in the materials sent in to him and it would have been discussed with him.” —@David_Gergen calls into question WH claim that Trump/Pence weren't briefed on Russia offering bounty to the Taliban to kill US troops. pic.twitter.com/mxY5ccQ5GG
— Ana Cabrera (@AnaCabrera) June 27, 2020