WASHINGTON (AP) – After weeks on the defensive, President Donald Trump has stepped up his efforts to dispute and downplay revelations stemming from the investigations into the Kremlin’s interference in last year’s election and possible Russian ties to his campaign associates.
The White House has said the real story is not about Russia – it’s about how Obama administration officials allegedly leaked and mishandled classified material about Americans. Trump and his aides have accused former officials of inappropriately disclosing – or “unmasking” – the names of Trump associates whose conversations were picked up by U.S. intelligences agencies.
“Such amazing reporting on unmasking and the crooked scheme against us by @foxandfriends,” Trump tweeted Monday morning. ‘Spied on before nomination.’ The real story.”
The White House has not pointed to any hard evidence to support such allegations, and instead has relied on media reports from some of the same publications Trump derides as “fake news.”
The truth is buried somewhere in classified material that is illegal to disclose. Here’s a look at what the White House believes is real story.