Bolton said that Trump’s reaction had shown that he did not prioritize the safety of American troops. (File)
Washington DC:
The media’s denial by US President Donald Trump that he was informed by intelligence officials of an alleged conspiracy between Russia and the Taliban regarding the murder of American troops in Afghanistan is “remarkable,” said Sunday former National Security Advisor (NSA) John Bolton (local time).
“It is quite remarkable that the president is doing his best to say that he has heard nothing about this. One asks, why would he do something like this?” Bolton said during an appearance on the NBC News broadcaster.
The New York Times quoted anonymous government sources as saying on Friday that Trump had received an intelligence report alleging that Moscow may have offered bonuses to the Taliban for the murder of American soldiers.
Trump denied ever being informed of the case on Sunday, adding that Vice President Mike Pence and chief of staff Mark Meadows were also unaware of the allegations. The president criticized the newspaper for spreading what he called false news.
Bolton said in a separate appearance on Sunday on Sunday that Trump’s reaction had shown he did not prioritize the safety of American troops.
“The fact that the president feels compelled to tweet about the news here shows that what is his fundamental objective is not the security of our forces, but if he seems to be doing nothing be careful, so you can’t blame me, “said Bolton.
The Russian Embassy in the United States denied the allegations of the New York Times and called on the Trump administration to take action after the diplomatic mission received threats following the publication of the story.
The Taliban also denied accusations from the newspaper, adding that it was an attempt to obstruct the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan.
