Obama Denies Claims White House Is Involved in Leaks
President Barack Obama strongly rejected claims Friday that his White House has deliberately leaked state secrets to the media, saying the idea was “offensive” and would put Americans at risk.
Some Republicans, led by veteran Sen. John McCain of Arizona, alleged that the White House must be knowingly involved because of the nature of the leaked information.
But Obama pushed back angrily as he was questioned on the issue at a news conference, saying that he had “zero tolerance” for such leaks and that those responsible would “suffer consequences.”
“The notion that the White House would purposely release classified national security information is offensive, it’s wrong, and people, I think, need to have a better sense of how I approach this office and how the people around me approach this office,” he said.