President Trump defends decision to leave Democrats in the dark about the raid on Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, saying he believed at least one top Democrat could leak the plans.
, he informed a number of top Republican allies and foreign governments. Pelosi accused Trump yesterday of informing the Russians before the Democrats, and Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer, who said he learned about the raid on television, has called on the White House to provide a full briefing.
The lack of notice to congressional leaders, which marked a break with precedent, came as the presidential impeachment inquiry marches forward. Trump said Sunday when he announced al-Baghdadi's killing that he had not told Democrats of the plans because"I wanted to make sure this kept secret, I didn't want to have men lost, and women, I didn't want people lost."
While the president is not required to notify congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle, it has been standard practice: President Barack Obama, for example, had that group briefed ahead of the raid that resulted in the death of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, and called former President George W. Bush before his public remarks on that event.
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