Milley, Austin Agree Giving China Intelligence on Russia Was Bad, Despite Biden Staffers Doing Just ThatKristina Wong 7 Apr 2022
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Thursday inadvertently agreed that the U.S. sharing intelligence with China on Russia was bad, despite Biden administration staffers doing exactly that.
Under questioning from Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Austin said that U.S. intelligence reports are not made public in order to protect sources and methods “so that we don’t lose capability.”
Austin also agreed that giving adversaries access to U.S. intelligence reports “is a poor decision.”
Blackburn then asked Austin why senior Biden administration officials held nearly half a dozen meetings with top Chinese officials to share U.S. intelligence on Russian troop movements, as reported by the New York Times in February.
According to that report, Biden officials shared the intelligence with Chinese officials in order to gain their support against Russia, but the Chinese officials turned around and shared that intelligence with Russia.
Austin said he had no insights into those meetings. “I am unfamiliar with the issue that you raised,” Austin said.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Mark Milley said he has never advised intelligence sharing with China and that he believed intelligence should never be shared with adversaries “period.”
Blackburn asked Austin and Milley who was responsible for sharing intelligence with China.
Milley said the director of national intelligence would be responsible for the intelligence, but the president would be responsible for the government. He said he did not know under whose authority that intelligence was shared.
Milley also claimed not to be aware of what Blackburn was referring to.
more
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC1NAZR_i4o&ab_channel=SenatorMarshaBlackburn
