Rep. Jason Chaffetz probes Trump's handling of sensitive info at Mar-a-Lago
House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, sent a letter to the White House on Tuesday seeking explanations for "widespread reports that sensitive information may have been shared or discussed in a common area at Mar-a-Lago" by President Trump last weekend.
The letter, sent to White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, came in the wake of reports that Trump may have been receiving sensitive information via his cellphone about North Korea's testing of a ballistic missile while eating dinner with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in a public room at Trump's club in Palm Beach, Fla., on Saturday night.
"Accounts and photographs from other diners seem to indicate these communications occurred in the presence of other guests," Chaffetz wrote. "Reportedly, documents were provided by what appeared to be White House staff for the President's review while the dinner proceeded."
"During this time, according to reports, the President made telephone calls to staff in Washington, D.C.," Chaffetz continued. "These reports and social media accounts have suggested White House staff used their own cell phones to provide illumination for reviewing documents. Separately, one Mar-a-Lago guest posted to his Facebook page a photograph with a man described to be the holder of the 'nuclear football.' "
Chaffez noted that White House press secretary Sean Spicer has said no classified information was present in the Mar-a-Lago dining room and that Trump was briefed in a "Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF)" both before and after the dinner.
"Nevertheless, discussions with foreign leaders regarding international missile tests, and documents used to support those discussions, are presumptively sensitive," Chaffetz wrote. "While the President is always on duty, and cannot dictate the timing of when he needs to receive sensitive information about urgent matters, we hope the White House will cooperate in providing the Committee with additional information."
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Specifically, Chaffetz asked Priebus to provide information to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee by no later than Feb. 28 that will:
• Explain whether proper security protocols were followed with regard to discussions at Mar-a-Lago
• Identify the documents reviewed at the dinner table and other common areas at Mar-a-Lago, and whether any of those documents were classified or sensitive
• Explain whether any classified information was discussed in common areas, including while individuals were speaking or recording on cellphones
• Explain whether and how guests, employees and residents at Mar-a-Lago are vetted to ensure they are not foreign agents or spies
At a White House briefing Tuesday, Spicer repeated that Trump "was briefed in a SCIF ahead of dinner."
"He went and with his national security team, they briefed him on a situation in North Korea," Spicer told reporters. "Subsequently he had a dinner, which was attended exclusively by U.S. and Japanese delegation members. At that time, apparently there was a photo taken, which everyone jumped to nefarious conclusions about."
Spicer added that, after the dinner, the president went back to the secure location to get an update from his aides.
"So I'm not really sure where people jump to conclusions," Spicer said. "There is a SCIF there. It was utilized on two occasions that evening to convey to the President, by his national security team, the situation in North Korea and then the President subsequently stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the Japanese President to make sure that our commitment to their security and stand against North Korea was fully made aware."
Contributing: David Jackson
