Donald Trump’s disclosure of classified intelligence to Russian operatives in the Oval Office now appears to be part of a pattern of his team taking risks with sensitive material. The Associated Press reports:
In the weeks before Trump took office, Obama administration officials were so concerned by the Trump transition team’s handling of classified documents that they moved swiftly to exert more control over the sensitive materials, according to two former U.S. officials.
The officials said transition officials removed classified materials from secure rooms and carried them between buildings in Washington without permission. Worried about keeping tabs on the highly sensitive material, the Obama administration officials set new limits on some classified information and explicitly barred Trump aides from viewing that material in their transition offices. [...]
The Obama officials said the Trump national security transition team did not follow protocol. The transition team was allowed to request and view classified material in secure rooms both at their government-run offices in Washington and at the White House. But Obama administration officials soon learned that Trump’s aides were taking classified information out of the secure room at transition headquarters without approval.
Anyone remember who was in charge of the transition?
That’s right: Mike Pence. Under his steady hand, Trump aides were mishandling classified material, moving it to unsecured locations—and doing god knows what with it.