Shift in US-Russia relations prompts allies to reconsider intelligence sharing with America
US Allies Consider Scaling Back Intelligence Sharing with Washington Due to Trump’s Approach to Russia
Some US allies are contemplating scaling back the intelligence they share with Washington in response to the Trump administration’s conciliatory approach to Russia, according to four sources with direct knowledge of the discussions.
The allies are considering this move out of concerns about safeguarding foreign assets whose identities could accidentally be revealed, stated the sources, which included a foreign official.
Every intelligence agency considers its commitments to foreign agents as sacred, promising to keep agents safe and protect their identities. Former officials mentioned that anything that could jeopardize this obligation would breach that trust and could potentially lead some spy services to withhold certain information from Washington.
The allies involved in these discussions include Israel, Saudi Arabia, and members of the Five Eyes spy alliance of English-speaking democracies. They are exploring how to potentially adjust current protocols for sharing intelligence to accommodate the Trump administration’s warming relations with Russia, as per the sources.
“One source with direct knowledge of the discussions stated that these discussions are already underway,” but no decision or action has been taken yet.
This review is part of a broader examination of the range of relations with Washington among many US allies, which includes diplomacy, trade, military cooperation, and intelligence matters, according to the sources.
