The media keeps screaming about Russian treason. Meanwhile it's the one undermining national security and aiding Russia.

This irresponsible CNN story is typical of a media apparatus that doesn't care about national security and couldn't even spell it on a slow day.

Exclusive: US extracted top spy from inside Russia in 2017 - CNN

You've gotta know it's 'exclusive' to CNN.

Washington (CNN)In a previously undisclosed secret mission in 2017, the United States successfully extracted from Russia one of its highest-level covert sources inside the Russian government, multiple Trump administration officials with direct knowledge told CNN. A person directly involved in the discussions said that the removal of the Russian was driven, in part, by concerns that President Donald Trump and his administration repeatedly mishandled classified intelligence and could contribute to exposing the covert source as a spy.

You can't trust Trump with classified information about spy operations. But you can totally trust CNN which will then run an 'exclusive' story about it. Fortunately the Russians, like everyone else, don't watch CNN unless they're trapped in an airport.

Actually though, the problem wasn't Trump. It was the media.

At the time, then-CIA Director Mike Pompeo told other senior Trump administration officials that too much information was coming out regarding the covert source, known as an asset. An extraction, or "exfiltration" as such an operation is referred to by intelligence officials, is an extraordinary remedy when US intelligence believes an asset is in immediate danger. A US official said before the secret operation there was media speculation about the existence of such a covert source, and such coverage or public speculation poses risks to the safety of anyone a foreign government suspects may be involved. This official did not identify any public reporting to that effect at the time of this decision and CNN could not find any related reference in media reports.

And if it had, it would publish them. Because it's so concerned about national security.

A spokesperson for Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declined to comment. White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said, "CNN's reporting is not only incorrect, it has the potential to put lives in danger."

That's CNN.



