UK security fears over Trump’s intelligence chief and possible data leaks

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1. Choice of Tulsi Gabbard, plus history of leaking classified information and hoarding documents at Mar-a-Lago, is worrying British officials

   [Donald Trump’s](https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/books-explain-donald-trump-america-next-3368660?srsltid=AfmBOorkyegQ9GwgY___sSjKHFc3opyHwj_FtYkxThnecB8GNn9v5glA?ico=in-line_link) [controversial nomination of Tulsi Gabbard as his Director of National Intelligence (DNI)](https://inews.co.uk/news/world/donald-trumps-top-team-3372195?srsltid=AfmBOoqoNPzwzwkqrAEJSjSBXTGERWyje_WjL3j3lEN5OpGsydFpG5O8?ico=in-line_link) has added to growing internal concerns among UK security services about [sharing classified information](https://inews.co.uk/news/trump-threaten-withhold-intelligence-uk-security-3368958?ico=in-line_link) with the incoming US administration.

   Some in the UK’s Secret Service, MI6, are understood to have fears about Trump’s history of leaking classified information as well as his choice of Gabbard as US intelligence chief, two UK sources familiar with the matter told the **i**.

   Gabbard, a former US Army reservist who served in Iraq, was seen as a[ shock choice](https://inews.co.uk/news/world/disbelief-matt-gaetz-attorney-general-3380960?srsltid=AfmBOop9XyEjxBM8-B52b8uM-0OPGNcfDCQktjN86bLWNXU-ttmb6T4S?ico=in-line_link) as she has no experience in intelligence.

   She has previously spoken about Russia’s “legitimate security concerns” regarding Ukraine and played down Syria’s use of chemical weapons. In 2019, Hillary Clinton said a 2020 Democratic primary candidate was a “Russian asset”, but did not name Gabbard directly, but Gabbard outed herself with an opinion piece in the [*Wall Street Journal*](https://www.wsj.com/articles/i-can-defeat-trump-and-the-clinton-doctrine-11572389508). Clinton also alleged that Russian sources were promoting Gabbard on social media because of her anti-Ukraine views.

   The role of Director of National Intelligence is vitally important in US national security as they prepare daily intelligence briefings for the President as well as overseeing the functioning of all 18 US intelligence agencies.

   Jamie Metzl, a former national security council official in the Clinton administration, said he understood why allies would have concerns sharing sensitive intelligence with the US, pointing specifically to Gabbard’s nomination for DNI.

   He told **i**: “The US has had one major leak of sensitive docs after another. Now with some of these initial nominations, there is even greater reason to be concerned.

2. Yea, I dont think I’d be sharing any intelligence with them either. You might as well just go ahead and email everything to Putin directly

3. Trump himself is enough to fear.

   Leaving documents all over.

   I literally don’t understand how he was still allowed to run.

4. It’s kind of stating the obvious, but how else can you report it? Don’t trust the guy who is at best hugely negligent and careless, and who at worst is a Russian asset.

   We basically need to write off the US for the next 4 years and pivot back towards Europe.

5. Fuck me this is well over dramatic. She used to be a Democrat and ran in the primaries, doing well but ultimately coming up short. This is a prime example of something only becoming a problem when you are on the other side of the political isle.

6. Just lie to them

7. Five Eyes now Four eyes 😁

8. He kept secure documents in his bathroom- of course no country is going to want to share anything.

9. Remember when the US intelligence were afraid of possible leaks from the UK side, Pepperidge farm remembers.

10. Tulsi Gabbard is a Kremlin appointee, it’s absolutely batshit mental.

11. don’t whinge about it, start decoupling our defence systems from them

12. Guys this is insane, how did Putin manage to get away with sending KGB operatives to give Biden dementia? 

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