Information released Friday showing that former President Barack Obama and his administration allegedly leaked information in what eventually became the “Russiagate” scandal in an attempt to stage a “coup” over President Donald Trump’s 2016 administration win is significant, but “not a bombshell,” Fred Fleitz, former National Security Council chief of staff under Trump, said on Newsmax Saturday.
“This has been known since 2017,” Fleitz told Newsmax’s “America Right Now.” “I’ve written about it extensively that a rigged intelligence report was rushed out before Trump’s inauguration, in which the intelligence agencies claim that the Trump campaign and Russia colluded, and that this report was designed to undermine the Trump presidency.”
That, said Fleitz, became a problem for Trump throughout his first term in office.
Still, Friday’s information release is important because it “gives context on how this happened and who was involved,” said Fleitz.
“Obama definitely was involved,” he added. “There were whistleblowers who tried to stop this corrupt report. So I’m glad it’s getting out, but I don’t want to treat this as if this is something that we did not already know.”
Fleitz on Saturday also commented on Trump’s new ultimatum to Russian President Vladimir Putin, giving him 50 days to reach a deal on the ongoing war with Ukraine.
“Trump has implemented a policy shift that’s consistent with his core America first values,” said Fleitz. “He’s giving weapons to Ukraine, but he’s selling them to NATO. That is making Europe take primary responsibility for its defense and the war in Ukraine. I think that’s a very good way to do this.”
Trump has also realized that his diplomatic approach to Russia and Ukraine hasn’t worked so far, “so he has to increase pressure on Vladimir Putin, put extreme pressure on him,” he said. “And, when we have these energy sanctions on nations that are buying oil from Putin, they’re going to be pressuring Putin too. It’s going to put real pain to the Russian economy.”
But making changes is “what a great president has to do,” said Fleitz.
“He has to change his policies when the circumstances warrant, but he’s keeping his eye on the prize,” he said. “His objective here is to stop the killing in Ukraine.”
