And it brings Trump's aversion to hearing negative analysis about Russia into renewed focus. According to one former senior intelligence official, the President's briefers had one simple rule with Trump: never lead with Russia. National security adviser Robert O'Brien said Wednesday that the President was not briefed on the Russia bounty intelligence because it had not been corroborated. Judging how to use the limited time of their oral briefings with the President was a difficult decision for senior US intelligence officials. "Never casually go in on Russia, decide when it's differential," this former senior intelligence official said describing the intelligence community's approach to his oral briefings, "Save it for when it matters."

Source: CNN July 01, 2020 21:00 UTC