Gallagher Calls For Transcript Of Private Meeting Between Trump, Russian Officials

Freshman Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Green Bay, said the House Intelligence Committee should request transcripts from President Donald Trump’s oval office meetings with two high-level Russian officials last week.

It is reported the president told Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Ambassador Sergey Kislyak classified information.

Trump on Tuesday defended his right to share “facts pertaining to terrorism” and airline safety with Russia. Trump’s tweets did not say whether he revealed classified information about the Islamic State group.

Gallagher, who represents Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional district, served in intelligence during his tenure in the United States Marine Corps.

He sits on the House Armed Services Committee and the Homeland Security Committee.

The House and Senate intelligence committees would have jurisdiction over any inquest into Trump’s conversations with the Russians.

“I know first-hand the life and death implications of safeguarding classified information and protecting our intelligence-sharing relations with key allies, so I have an interest from that perspective in making sure that everyone is being responsible when it comes to our nation’s secrets,” Gallagher told WPR.

Gallagher took to Twitter on Tuesday morning and sent a series of tweets.

“I look forward to Congress getting a thorough account of the President’s meeting with Russians officials last week,” one tweet reads.

While POTUS possesses the authority to disclose classified, even top secret, information, there’s a separate question of whether he should.

— Rep. Mike Gallagher (@RepGallagher) May 16, 2017

As an intelligence officer by training, I know firsthand the life and death implications of safeguarding classified information.

— Rep. Mike Gallagher (@RepGallagher) May 16, 2017

In one of his tweets Gallagher wrote, “it’s dangerous to believe that Russia can be a reliable counterterrorism partner.”

“Putin, in my mind, is an autocratic thug who is bent on undermining our leadership and our democracy,” Gallagher told WPR. “Frankly, with all the political opportunism polluting this debate, he’s achieving his objectives.”

House Speaker Paul Ryan and other Republicans from Wisconsin also called for Trump to report to Congress about what was said during the meeting.

Ryan spokesman Doug Andres said Ryan “hopes for a full explanation of the facts from the administration.”

A spokeswoman for Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Glenbeulah, said Trump should fully brief Congress on what was said and why.

Editor’s Note: This story was updated at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 16 to include comments from Rep. Mike Gallagher.