Trump Denies He Knew About Russian Bounties To Kill U.S. Troops In Afghanistan – Again

President Donald Trump claimed again Sunday that White House officials did not tell him about a covert Russian military GRU operation, in which they offered bounties to Taliban-linked Afghan militants to kill U.S. troops.

According to a classified U.S. intelligence assessment, and several officials familiar with the matter, the GRU paid members of the Taliban to conduct several lethal attacks on U.S. and other NATO troops in Afghanistan.

The president said on Twitter, “Intel just reported to me that they did not find this info credible, and therefore did not report it to me” or Vice President Mike Pence.

Intel just reported to me that they did not find this info credible, and therefore did not report it to me or @VP. Possibly another fabricated Russia Hoax, maybe by the Fake News @nytimesbooks, wanting to make Republicans look bad!!! https://t.co/cowOmP7T1S

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— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 29, 2020

Trump had claimed earlier Sunday that neither he nor any top White House officials had been briefed on the matter. He said that intelligence officials did not report it to him because they did not find it “credible.” 

According to a U.S. official with direct knowledge of the latest information, White House officials had known of the intel since at least February and the information had been included in a daily intelligence briefing.

The president is known not to read the briefings. Instead, he has White House officials streamline the information and communicate significant findings to him verbally a couple of times a week.

Congressional Democrats called for an investigation Monday that centers around the April 2019 car bombing that killed three Afghanistan-stationed U.S. Marines.

Roughly 8,600 American troops currently serve in the country.