Clinton swipes at Trump on Russian bounty news: I ‘would have read my damn briefs’

Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton took a swipe at President Trump on Tuesday over reports that he had been provided with written briefs on intelligence that Russia offered bounties to incentivize Taliban-linked militants to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

Trump has insisted he was never briefed on the allegations and questioned their veracity, but news outlets including The Associated Press and The New York Times have reported that they were featured in the President’s Daily Brief, which CNN pointed out Trump is known to not read regularly.

In response to a tweet from singer Barbara Streisand, a longtime Democratic advocate and Trump critic, talking about how Clinton would have handled the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the former secretary of State said: “I would have read my damn briefs, Barbra, that’s for sure.” 

I would have read my damn briefs, Barbra, that’s for sure. https://t.co/YSZS0Lvqo9

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 30, 2020

The New York Times first reported on Friday that the GRU, Moscow’s military intelligence agency, had offered the bounties to Afghan militants, and The Washington Post reported Sunday that the offer had resulted in U.S. casualties. 

Amid the growing volume of reports, Trump has faced criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, with many pushing for new sanctions on Russia or even a more lethal response.

“We should be talking about GRU and Taliban agents in body bags,” Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) said Monday evening.