U.S. media reports that President Donald Trump revealed classified information in a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Ambassador Sergey Kislyak are “unhealthy” and “dangerous,” a Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman said Tuesday.
“I land in Madrid. I turn on my phone, and there are dozens of messages … ‘is it true that Trump told Lavrov the biggest secrets?'” spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote in a Facebook post seemingly aimed at the Russian press. “Guys, are you reading American newspapers again?”
She continued: “Don’t read them. You can use them in various ways, but don’t read them â lately this isn’t just unhealthy, but dangerous.”
The Washington Post reported Monday that the U.S. president divulged highly classified information about Islamic State to the Russian foreign minister and ambassador during their Oval Office visit last week. Officials reportedly obtained the information through an intelligence-sharing arrangement with a U.S. partner.
Zakharova, who was in Madrid to consult with Spanish colleagues, claimed she had predicted the American press intended to report sensationalized stories about the Oval Office meeting and foiled at least part of that plan by releasing photos of the visit.
The White House barred media from the meeting, but Russian state news agency TASS published photos of Trump, Lavrov and Kislyak laughing and smiling in the Oval Office, prompting an outcry. The Russian foreign ministry also tweeted photos.