SEN. JAMES RISCH:

Oh, I don't really need the White House explanation on this. There is only one person on the planet who can make the decision whether to declassify something and whether to talk to someone outside of those of us that are cleared with the security, and that's the president of the United States.

If, indeed, it was on the subject that — and I'm neither going to confirm or deny that it was — but it was on the subject of airliner safety, I believe the president, obviously, had the legal authority to do it. He can declassify at any time.

But, secondly, I think he has an obligation under his oath as president of the United States, when he in his judgment determines it's in the best interests of the people of the United States, to declassify something and do it.

The national media has treated this story as if this was a one-off, like this never happens. Look, the president of the United States deals every day with heads of other countries, with high-level people of other countries. And he constantly discusses classified information with them.

Not only can he do that. He should do that, because we exchange classified information with almost every country on the face of the Earth, with the exception of a couple of them. And we — even ones that we're not particularly friendly with, we do have overlapping interests in things like airline safety.

And so if, indeed, that was the subject, and that's what's been reported, he should be commended for that. The real story here is, there's a weasel here. And that is the person who reported about this conversation. This is a person who is a traitor.

They betrayed their own country. They betrayed their families and their neighbors. And when you disclose classified information, classified conversations that you have access to, it is an act of treason. It's unfortunate we can't get that person identified.

But he or she should be held to answer for that and treated as any treasonous person would be.