The US has new intelligence about Russia's nuclear capabilities
The United States has briefed Congress and its allies in Europe on new intelligence about Russian nuclear capabilities that could pose an international threat, officials briefed on the matter said.
Officials said the new intelligence service was serious, but the capability was still developing and Russia had not deployed it. Consequently, it did not pose an urgent threat to the United States, Ukraine or America's European allies, they said. The information is highly classified and officials said it could not be released without cutting off its source.
A current and former US official said the new intelligence was linked to Russia's efforts to develop a space-based anti-satellite nuclear weapon. ABC News reported this earlier that intelligence had to do with such a faculty. Current and former officials said the nuclear weapon was not in orbit.
The threat came to light after Representative Michael R. Turner, Republican of Ohio and chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, issued a cryptic statement calling on the Biden administration to release the material. Mr. Turner's statement and his decision to share the information with others in Congress left Washington in an uproar over what the intelligence was.
But the statement infuriated White House officials, who feared the loss of key sources of intelligence on Russia. Although Mr. Turner has been a White House ally on Ukraine aid, his comments on Wednesday became the latest flashpoint in tense relations between the Biden administration and Republicans in Congress.
The intelligence was developed in recent days and while important, officials said it was not a fragile warning of an imminent threat. But Mr Turner pushed for its release.
“I urge President Biden to release all information related to this threat so that Congress, the Administration and our allies can openly discuss the actions needed to respond to this threat,” Mr. Turner said.
His committee made the unorthodox decision Monday to make the information available to all members of Congress — a move that alarmed some officials because it is not clear in what context the intelligence the panel had, if any, was presented. In a note to lawmakers, the House Intelligence Committee said the intelligence related to a “destabilizing foreign military capability.”
Capitol Hill is embroiled in a bitter political standoff over whether the United States should mobilize resources to counter Russian threats against Ukraine, an issue that most Democrats and some Republicans — including Mr. Turner — say is essential to protect of US national security interests. But a majority of Republican members of the House of Representatives, including Speaker Mike Johnson, are rejecting calls for a Senate-passed $60.1 billion foreign aid package for Ukraine to be put to a vote in the House of Representatives.
Former President Donald J. Trump egged on Republican opposition, saying this weekend that he would encourage Russia to “do whatever they want” to any NATO country that had not spent enough money on its own defense.
Other officials said Mr. Turner was making more use of the new intelligence than would normally be expected, perhaps to pressure the House to consider the additional funding request for Ukraine that the Senate passed this week to take.
The measure, which provides military aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, faces uncertain prospects in the House of Representatives. While many Republicans oppose additional funding, Mr. Turner is a vocal supporter of more aid to Ukraine and recently visited the capital, Kyiv.
Shortly after Mr. Turner's announcement, Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, entered the White House press room to discuss the importance of continued funding for the Ukrainian military.
But Mr. Sullivan declined to respond to a reporter's question about the contents of Mr. Turner's announcement, saying only that he would meet with the chairman on Thursday.
“We have scheduled a briefing tomorrow for the members of the House of Representatives from the Gang of Eight,” Mr. Sullivan said, referring to a group of congressional leaders from both parties. 'That's in the books. So I'm a little surprised that Congressman Turner came out publicly today, ahead of a meeting where I could be sitting next to him tomorrow alongside our intelligence and defense professionals.”
Representative Jim Himes, Democrat of Connecticut and ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, said the issue was “serious” and that Mr. Turner had taken direct aim at it. But he added that the threat “wouldn't ruin your Thursday.”
Senator Mark Warner, Democrat of Virginia, and Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, said in a joint statement that the Senate Intelligence Committee had been monitoring the issue since its inception and had discussed a response with the Biden administration. But lawmakers said releasing intelligence information could expose the collection methods.
When Mr. Sullivan was asked at the White House whether he could tell Americans there was nothing to worry about, he said it was “impossible to answer with a resounding yes.”
“Americans understand that there are a range of threats and challenges in the world that we face every day, and those threats and challenges range from terrorism to state actors,” Mr. Sullivan said. “And we must fight with them, and we must fight with them in a way that ensures the ultimate security of the American people. I am confident that President Biden, in the decisions he makes, will ensure the safety of the American people going forward.”
Mr Turner declined to respond to questions on Wednesday. Jason Crow, Democrat of Colorado, said the new intelligence agency was one of many “volatile threats” facing the United States.
“This is something that requires our attention,” Mr Crow said. “There is no doubt. It is not an immediate crisis, but certainly something we have to deal with very seriously.”
Mr Johnson, apparently trying to sow calm after Mr Turner's announcement, said there was “no reason for public alarm.”
“We will work together to tackle this issue,” Mr Johnson said.
Erica L. Green, Lucas Broadwater And Glenn Thrush contributed reporting from Washington.