Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Thursday that an investigation is already underway into U.S. intelligence leaks to the news media, quickly acting on President Trump’s order to get to the bottom of the leaks about the British investigation into the Manchester bombing.
“These leaks cannot be tolerated and we will make every effort to put an end to it,” Mr. Sessions said.
The administration has been plagued by intelligence officials divulging information, most of which have been aimed at embarrassing Mr. Trump. But concerns about leaks reached new heights when The New York Times reported details of the U.K. investigation of the deadly terrorist bombing.
The disclosure strained relations between the U.S. and one of its closest allies and partner in intelligence operations. The U.K. responded by halting intelligence sharing with the U.S. about the bombing that killed 22 and injured dozens more at an Ariana Grande concert Monday in Manchester.
“I share the president’s deep concern,” Mr. Sessions said of the leaks.
He said that prior to Mr. Trump’s order, he had discussed the subject with British Home Secretary Amber Rudd.
When ordering the Justice Department probe, Mr. Trump called the failure of spy agencies to keep secrets “deeply troubling.”
“These leaks have been going on for a long time and my Administration will get to the bottom of this. The leaks of sensitive information pose a grave threat to our national security,” Mr. Trump said in a statement.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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