NSA so concerned over Donald Trump’s ties to Russia they’ve ‘withheld information from presidential briefings’ – The Independent

A websitethat until very recently waspublished by Donald Trump's son-in-law has claimed thatUS spies are withholding their most sensitive intelligence from the White House.

For the past three weeks, according to a former National Security Agency (NSA) analyst and counter-intelligence officer, some the America's spy agencieshave begun withholdingintelligence from the Oval Officeamid fears"the Kremlin has ears inside" the White House situation room.

The claims follow reports thatNational Security Adviser Michael Flynn discussed lifting sanctions against Moscow with a Russian diplomat before Mr Trump took office.

An NSA official told the New York Observer it was holding back some of the "good stuff" from the White House, while onePentagon worker said: "There's not much the Russians don't know at this point. Since January 20, weve assumed that the Kremlin has ears inside the [situation room]."

The FBI is still investigating Gen Flynn's conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

Nine sources told theWashington Postthe pair had discussed sanctions imposed on Russia by outgoing President Barack Obama, despite Gen Flynn twice saying "no" in response to interview questionswhen asked if the sanctions, over Russias interference in the US election, were brought up.

In the past Mr Trump has been criticised for a perceived lack of respect for the intelligence community, while as President-elect he called the storm over Russian hacking of the election a "political witch-hunt".

The New York Observer's website is an amalgamation of several media brands bought by Mr Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Mr Kushnerwas the owner of the news website until last month when he was named a senior White House adviser.

He is married to Mr Trump's eldest daughter, Ivanka.

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NSA so concerned over Donald Trump's ties to Russia they've 'withheld information from presidential briefings' - The Independent