Former national security adviser H.R. McMaster spoke Tuesday of two reasons for leaks he's observed — addressing a national security issue he grappled with while working in the Trump administration.

During a sit-down interview at an event held by Perry World House, McMaster explained the two types of leaks he witnessed.

"One of them was to damage the president," he said. "Some of these leaks we know went from people who were on the staff who went to people they worked with in a previous administration — and I think they were leaked to damage the president's reputation."

The second motive, he said, was more self-serving. "I think some of the leaks occurred because there were those who wanted to manipulate the president into a particular decision consistent with their agenda," he said.

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