What Donald Trump said about the spread of classified material during the campaign – PolitiFact

President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed the authority to share facts pertaining to terrorism and airline safety with Russia, saying in a pair of tweets he has an absolute right as president to do so.

An explosive Washington Post story published May 15, 2017, accused President Donald Trump of sharing "code-word" classified information with the Russian ambassador to the United States and its foreign minister during an Oval Office meeting.

Trump has so far said he wanted to share facts about terrorism and airline flight safety.

Whatever the case, Trumps decision to potentially disclose classified information has ledmany to look at the presidents past opinions on the spreading of classified information -- particularly with regards to his 2016 Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

Here are some of the attacks Trump used against Clinton regarding the spread of classified information. We begin with Trumps response to a State Department disclosure that 22 emails containing classified information were on Clintons private email server.

Jan. 29, 2016

"The new e-mail release is a disaster for Hillary Clinton. At a minimum, how can someone with such bad judgement be our next president?"

"What she did is a criminal act. If she's allowed to run I would be very, very surprised."

July 6, 2016

"Crooked Hillary Clinton and her team 'were extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information.'Not fit!"

July 11, 2016, campaign speech

"This is not just extreme carelessness with classified material, which is still totally disqualifying. This is calculated, deliberate, premeditated misconduct."

July 21, 2016, campaign speech

"The secretary of state was extremely careless and negligent in handling our classified secrets."

"Clintons home email server that she lied to the American people about was a profound national security risk ... Hillary Clinton has bad judgment and is unfit to serve as President."

"150 Clinton E-mails still contain classified information. More sensitive when she was Sec.of State. This is a very big deal."

"Lyin' Hillary Clinton told the FBI that she did not know the 'C'markings on documents stood for CLASSIFIED. How can this be happening?"

"WikiLeaks proves even the Clinton campaign knew Crooked mishandled classified info, but no one gets charged? RIGGED!"

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What Donald Trump said about the spread of classified material during the campaign - PolitiFact